December ABCs: Sunday titles down, dailies hold steady

The daily national newspaper market overall remained steady in the last month of 2018, recording a negligible period-on-period (PoP) change of -0.2%.

Six of 12 daily newspapers saw their circulations grow over the period, including the Guardian (2.7%) the Financial Times (2.1%) and the Daily Telegraph (1.1%). However, the popular market fared poorly, with all four papers recording declines. The Daily Record was the worst hit (-2.4%), followed by the Daily Star (-2.3%).

Meanwhile, the Sunday national newspaper market suffered an overall -1.6% decline PoP. Only one title, the Observer, recorded a growth in circulation – up 0.4% across the month. The Sunday Times and the Sunday Mail fared the worst, both recording PoP declines of -2.3%.

Elsewhere, as commuters abandoned the city over Christmas, the London free press once again saw its circulation fall, down -3.1%.