National Newspaper ABC Round-Up – September 1999
Month On Month
The latest national newspaper circulation figures, released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) this week, show a slight overall month on month increase in sales for September 1999. Strong performances from the two Mail titles and the Sunday Times helped offset circulation declines from the Sunday Express and Sunday People.
| National Newspaper April 1999 ABC Monthly Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Aug 99 – Aug 99 | Sep 99 – Sep 99 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Mail | 2,366,713 | 2,398,073 | 31,360 | 1.3 |
| Daily Record | 643,713 | 640,776 | -2,937 | -0.5 |
| Daily Star | 532,096 | 523,415 | -8,681 | -1.6 |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,042,382 | 1,044,606 | 2,224 | 0.2 |
| Express | 1,083,209 | 1,063,891 | -19,318 | -1.8 |
| Financial Times | 383,842 | 411,409 | 27,567 | 7.2 |
| Guardian | 376,855 | 397,177 | 20,322 | 5.4 |
| Independent | 222,200 | 222,776 | 576 | 0.3 |
| Independent On Sunday | 239,181 | 246,162 | 6,981 | 2.9 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,261,401 | 2,330,135 | 68,734 | 3.0 |
| Mirror | 2,374,098 | 2,353,905 | -20,193 | -0.9 |
| News Of The World | 4,096,726 | 4,170,112 | 73,386 | 1.8 |
| Observer | 381,101 | 416,091 | 34,990 | 9.2 |
| Racing Post | 75,460 | 75,068 | -392 | -0.5 |
| Sport First | 96,686 | 91,678 | -5,008 | -5.2 |
| Sun | 3,685,645 | 3,672,284 | -13,361 | -0.4 |
| Sunday Business | 53,863 | 58,553 | 4,690 | 8.7 |
| Sunday Express | 1,006,800 | 977,146 | -29,654 | -2.9 |
| Sunday Mirror | 2,009,384 | 2,002,028 | -7,356 | -0.4 |
| Sunday People | 1,624,604 | 1,577,849 | -46,755 | -2.9 |
| Sunday Sport | 205,496 | 211,634 | 6,138 | 3.0 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 828,027 | 826,288 | -1,739 | -0.2 |
| Sunday Times | 1,293,489 | 1,361,094 | 67,605 | 5.2 |
| Times | 709,546 | 742,511 | 32,965 | 4.6 |
| Total | 27,592,517 | 27,814,661 | 222,144 | 0.8 |
Year On Year
Quality Market The quality sector would actually have shown a year on year decline in sales, if it were not for the new Sunday Business in the most recent period. The Daily Telegraph and Times both saw fairly substantial declines in sales year on year, as did the Independent On Sunday. The Financial Times continues perform more strongly than all its broadsheet rivals.
| Quality Market Apr-Sep ’99 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Apr 98 – Sep 98 | Apr 99 – Sep 99 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,067,984 | 1,043,848 | -24,136 | -2.3 |
| Financial Times | 347,011 | 379,351 | 32,340 | 9.3 |
| Guardian | 394,614 | 391,604 | -3,010 | -0.8 |
| Independent | 220,853 | 223,587 | 2,734 | 1.2 |
| Independent On Sunday | 255,811 | 243,795 | -12,016 | -4.7 |
| Observer | 402,314 | 398,443 | -3,871 | -1.0 |
| Sunday Business | n/a | 55,991 | n/a | n/a |
| Sunday Telegraph | 836,232 | 822,163 | -14,069 | -1.7 |
| Sunday Times | 1,339,640 | 1,347,412 | 7,772 | 0.6 |
| Times | 759,290 | 726,340 | -32,950 | -4.3 |
| Total | 5,623,749 | 5,632,534 | 8,785 | 0.2 |
Mid Market The usual picture emerges in the mid market in these ABC figures – the Mail and Mail On Sunday continue to grow sales at the expense of the Express and Express On Sunday circulations.
| Mid Market Apr-Sep ’99 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Apr 98 – Sep 98 | Apr 99 – Sep 99 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Mail | 2,325,523 | 2,364,315 | 38,792 | 1.7 |
| Express | 1,142,063 | 1,086,760 | -55,303 | -4.8 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,242,651 | 2,273,270 | 30,619 | 1.4 |
| Sunday Express | 1,051,432 | 994,697 | -56,735 | -5.4 |
| Total | 6,761,669 | 6,719,042 | -42,627 | -0.6 |
Popular Market The national tabloids are struggling at present, with circulation for the sector down by over 283,000 copies year on year. The News Of The World and Sunday People both suffered heavy sales declines during this period. In fact, of the popular dailies, only the Mirror has its head above water in these figures.
| Popular Market Apr-Sep ’99 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Apr 98 – Sep 98 | Apr 99 – Sep 99 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Record | 674,854 | 638,944 | -35,910 | -5.3 |
| Daily Star | 569,873 | 525,365 | -44,508 | -7.8 |
| Mirror | 2,347,058 | 2,350,737 | 3,679 | 0.2 |
| News Of The World | 4,232,935 | 4,110,810 | -122,125 | -2.9 |
| Racing Post | 71,485 | 78,992 | 7,507 | 10.5 |
| Sport First | n/a | 73,801 | n/a | n/a |
| Sun | 3,694,465 | 3,687,370 | -7,095 | -0.2 |
| Sunday Mirror | 2,010,474 | 1,985,944 | -24,530 | -1.2 |
| Sunday People | 1,742,922 | 1,608,277 | -134,645 | -7.7 |
| Total | 15,344,066 | 15,060,240 | -283,826 | -1.8 |
Industry News
- Sun And Tesco In Joint Loyalty Initiative
- Independent Owner Predicts Second Half Circulation Increases
- Trinity-Mirror Deal Gets ‘Unconditional’ Go-Ahead
- Telegraph And Boots Target Women With New Internet Service
- Profits Grow At Guardian Media Group
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