Month On Month
The latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) show an overall increase of 1.9% in national newspaper circulation during the month of November. However, most titles recorded a drop in sales across the period.
The greatest gains came from Sport First, which added 4.7% – almost 4,000 readers – to its circulation base in a month on month analysis. Sales of the Sunday Sport increased by 2.1%, while the Financial Times continued its upward trend, adding 1.5% to its circulation.
Losses were small over the period, the most acute found at the Independent On Sunday (down 4.9%), the Observer (down 4.2%) and the Sunday Mirror (down 4%).
Year On Year
Quality Market
Sales of broadsheet newspapers increased by 1.7% in a year on year analysis, pushed by good gains at the Financial Times (up 14.3%) and the Observer (up 9.7%). Only three titles recorded a dip in their circulation base: the Daily Telegraph fell by 1.5%; sister paper the Sunday Telegraph was down 2.2%; and the Times lost 0.4% of its circulation base.
Mid Market
The full effects of the sale of Express Newspapers to Northern & Shell will not be shown until next month’s ABC figures (see Gossip And Girlie Publisher Takes On Express And Star). The two Express titles were down, however, the Daily Express falling 2.6% and the Sunday Express lost 2.3% as sales began to mirror the growing disaffection amongst the titles’ journalists, who have been leaving in droves since the change of hands.
Popular Market
Popular titles took the greatest tumble over the period, losing 2.1% of overall sales. Sport First, the best performer in a monthly analysis, fell 14.4% year on year. Also badly hit were the Sunday Sport (down 5.5%) and the Sunday People (down 5.2%).
The only titles to increase over the period were the Daily Star, which added 3.6% to its circulation base, and the Racing Post, up 1.1%.
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