National Newspaper Round-Up – May 1998
Quality Market The overall drop in circulation for the quality market continues for this period with total broadsheet circulation down 1.6% to 5.7 million copies for December ’97 – May ’98. Again The Independent suffered the most severe fall year on year – down 13.93% to 220,000 copies. The paper itself shrewdly chose to compare month on month figures recently, which do show that The Independent was the only newspaper to increase its circulation between April and May.
In terms of losses, the Daily Telegraph was hit hardest, dropping over 56,000 copies from its circulation year on year – a fall of 4.98%. The FT continues to improve (up 13.8% to 350,000), along with The Times (up 5.38% to 789,000).
Quality Market Dec ’97 – May ’98 Year on Year ABC Comparisons
| Title | Dec 96 – May 97 | Dec 97 – May 98 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,132,861 | 1,076,415 | -56,446 | -4.98 |
| Financial Times | 308,036 | 350,547 | 42,511 | 13.8 |
| Guardian | 406,290 | 400,872 | -5,418 | -1.33 |
| Independent | 256,645 | 220,903 | -35,742 | -13.93 |
| Independent On Sunday | 275,377 | 259,407 | -15,970 | -5.8 |
| Observer | 459,013 | 412,900 | -46,113 | -10.05 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 896,255 | 846,794 | -49,461 | -5.52 |
| Sunday Times | 1,320,988 | 1,351,597 | 30,609 | 2.32 |
| Times | 749,598 | 789,908 | 40,310 | 5.38 |
| TOTAL | 5,805,063 | 5,709,343 | -95,720 | -1.6 |
Mid Market In the mid market the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday are fairing better than the two Express titles. The ‘Mails‘ have higher circulation and are on the increase (Daily Mail up 6.28% to to 2.3 million and Mail On Sunday up 3.62% to 2.2 million copies); the Express is down 3.94% to 1.2 million and the Express On Sunday is also losing copies, down 6.55% to a circulation of just over a million.
Mid Market Dec ’97 – May ’98 Year on Year ABC Comparisons
| Title | Dec 96 – May 97 | Dec 97 – May 98 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Mail | 2,139,668 | 2,274,111 | 134,443 | 6.28 |
| Express | 1,216,007 | 1,168,114 | -47,893 | -3.94 |
| Express On Sunday | 1,164,152 | 1,087,848 | -76,304 | -6.55 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,128,261 | 2,205,278 | 77,017 | 3.62 |
| TOTAL | 6,648,088 | 6,735,351 | 87,263 | 1.3 |
Popular Market The popular market also continues its overall decline for this period – down 5.8% overall to sales of 14.9 million. Every paper shows a loss of circulation, notably the Daily Star and the Sunday People, down 10.17% and 11.18% respectively.
Popular Market Dec ’97 – May ’98 Year on Year ABC Comparisons
| Title | Dec 96 – May 97 | Dec 97 – May 98 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Star | 744,845 | 669,130 | -75,715 | -10.17 |
| Mirror | 2,371,165 | 2,298,242 | -72,923 | -3.08 |
| News Of The World | 4,487,282 | 4,356,295 | -130,987 | -2.92 |
| Sun | 3,913,779 | 3,709,092 | -204,687 | -5.23 |
| Sunday Mirror | 2,302,438 | 2,091,386 | -211,052 | -9.17 |
| Sunday People | 1,983,184 | 1,761,528 | -221,656 | -11.18 |
| TOTAL | 15,802,693 | 14,885,673 | -917,020 | -5.8 |
Source: ABC
Industry News The Mirror Group suspended its Sporting Life title in May and merged its content into the Racing Post. The Group claimed that the Post gained virtually all of Sporting Life‘s sales. Mirror Group also found itself in the middle of takeover talks. German publisher Axel Springer expressed an interest in buying the Group but this recently fell through as Springer backed out.
The Times reduced its weekday cover price to 30p to coincide with the World Cup, but would not confirm whether the price would return to 35p after the competition ends. A sneaky price-cut? Trade and industry secretary Margaret Beckett introduce Clause 60 to the Competition Bill. This allows the use of certain European jurisprudence and is hoped to allay worries of anti-competitive behaviour and predatory pricing by News International, The Times‘ owners.
Regional publisher Newsquest announced that it had bought Review Free Newspapers for £6.07 million.
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