National Newspaper ABC Round-Up – October 1998
Quality Market
The total circulation across the broadsheet market in October 1998 was down by 3.6%, currently standing at 5,635,335. Only two of the quality titles increased their circulation. The Financial Times showed a healthy rise of 11.8% in its circulation, taking it up to 361,699, and The Sunday Times’ circulation increased by 0.7%. The Independent had the biggest fall in circulation, losing a considerable 16.3%, taking it down to 222,188.
Quality Market May-Oct ’98 Year On Year ABC Comparisons
| Title | May 97 – Oct 97 | May 98 – Oct 98 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,105,637 | 1,062,853 | -42,784 | -3.9 |
| Financial Times | 323,648 | 361,699 | 38,051 | 11.8 |
| Guardian | 411,839 | 393,491 | -18,348 | -4.5 |
| Independent | 265,320 | 222,188 | -43,132 | -16.3 |
| Independent On Sunday | 286,287 | 254,733 | -31,554 | -11 |
| Observer | 452,767 | 400,608 | -52,159 | -11.5 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 886,954 | 833,473 | -53,481 | -6 |
| Sunday Times | 1,337,723 | 1,346,783 | 9,060 | 0.7 |
| Times | 775,746 | 759,507 | -16,239 | -2.1 |
| Total | 5,845,921 | 5,635,335 | -210,586 | -3.6 |
The Sunday Times has the highest overall circulation of all the broadsheets, at 1,346,783 for October 1998. The largest actual loss in circulation was suffered by The Sunday Telegraph, which lost 53,481 copies sold.
Mid Market
Mid-market figures were rather polarised for October, with The Express and The Express On Sunday suffering losses in circulation and The Mail and its Sunday edition gaining in popularity. The Express On Sunday’s figures fell 9.9%, taking it down to 1,046,385, the biggest percentage and actual loss of all the mid-market papers.
Mid-Market May-Oct ’98 ABC Year On Year Comparisons
| Title | May 97 – Oct 97 | May 98 – Oct 98 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Daily Mail | 2,220,209 | 2,343,494 | 123,285 | 5.6 |
| Express | 1,223,373 | 1,134,719 | -88,654 | -7.2 |
| Express On Sunday | 1,161,441 | 1,046,385 | -115,056 | -9.9 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,193,405 | 2,278,506 | 85,101 | 3.9 |
| TOTAL | 6,798,428 | 6,803,104 | 4,676 | 0.1 |
Popular Market
Newspapers in the tabloid or popular market sustained losses all round. Worst hit were The Sunday Mirror and The Daily Star, which suffered losses of 12.3% and 11% respectively, and The Sunday Mirror also sustained the biggest actual loss of 281,137.
Popular Market May-Oct ’98 ABC Year On Year Comparisons
| Title | May 97 – Oct 97 | May 98 – Oct 98 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Daily Star | 730,742 | 650,406 | -80,336 | -11 |
| Mirror | 2,357,028 | 2,351,815 | -5,213 | -0.2 |
| News Of The World | 4,433,618 | 4,242,893 | -190,725 | -4.3 |
| Sun | 3,819,974 | 3,698,300 | -121,674 | -3.2 |
| Sunday Mirror | 2,287,913 | 2,006,776 | -281,137 | -12.3 |
| Sunday People | 1,912,373 | 1,734,032 | -178,341 | -9.3 |
| TOTAL | 15,541,648 | 14,684,222 | -857,426 | -5.5 |
The title with the highest circulation is still The News Of The World, with a circulation of 4,242,893 in October.
Overall, there was a very slight rise in the total circulation of the nationals, an actual increase of 920 copies sold.
Sport First and The Sunday Business joined the ranks of the nationals this period, showing initial circulations of 67,016 and 50,151 respectively for October 1998.
National Newspaper October 1998 Month on Month Comparisons
| Title | Sep 98 – Sep 98 | Oct 98 – Oct 98 | Actual Change | % Ch |
| Daily Mail | 2,421,319 | 2,387,867 | -33,452 | -1.4 |
| Daily Star | 661,750 | 650,406 | -11,344 | -1.7 |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,068,760 | 1,047,861 | -20,899 | -2 |
| Express | 1,147,581 | 1,118,981 | -28,600 | -2.5 |
| Express On Sunday | 1,057,071 | 1,027,820 | -29,251 | -2.8 |
| Financial Times | 351,969 | 384,863 | 32,894 | 9.3 |
| Guardian | 400,377 | 393,856 | -6,521 | -1.6 |
| Independent | 222,500 | 223,110 | 610 | 0.3 |
| Independent On Sunday | 257,773 | 253,629 | -4,144 | -1.6 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,413,584 | 2,396,598 | -16,986 | -0.7 |
| Mirror | 2,380,824 | 2,339,001 | -41,823 | -1.8 |
| News Of The World | 4,265,006 | 4,316,825 | 51,819 | 1.2 |
| Observer | 405,545 | 404,422 | -1,123 | -0.3 |
| Sport First | n/a | 67,016 | n/a | n/a |
| Sun | 3,730,402 | 3,718,534 | -11,868 | -0.3 |
| Sunday Business | n/a | 50,151 | n/a | n/a |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,983,507 | 2,052,371 | 68,864 | 3.5 |
| Sunday People | 1,756,478 | 1,705,359 | -51,119 | -2.9 |
| Sunday Times | 1,400,992 | 1,398,044 | -2,948 | -0.2 |
| Times | 777,355 | 766,999 | -10,356 | -1.3 |
| Total | 26,702,793 | 26,703,713 | 920 | 0 |
As the methodology for national newspaper supplements changed in July 1998, ABC advises caution when comparing figures for national newspapers and their supplements with earlier periods which were audited under the old rules.
Industry News
Both Sport First and The Independent launched new ad campaigns in October. Sport First’s ads featured in football fanzines (see Newsline), and The Independent targeted cinema audiences (see Newsline).
The Scottish Media Group, publisher of numersous titles, including The Sunday Mail decided to launch a new Scottish Sunday title (see Newsline), which is to be editied by Andrew Jaspan, formerly editor of The Sunday Times and The Observer.
Express Newspapers had to pay damages to Tom Cruise and his wife Nicole Kidman in October, after printing false stories about the couple in The Express On Sunday. Mr Cruise stated that the case was more about clearing his his family’s reputation than winning the damages, thought to be about £100,000 each to he and his wife, after the paper made allegattions about thier sexuality and his and Mrs Cruises motive for adopting their three children.
The Press database can be accessed by selecting “Press” from the drop-down box at the top of this page.