ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – April 2002

The latest ABC figures for National Newspapers show that if the many Queen Mother commemorative issues at the start of the month had any effect on circulation, it was minimal. Overall circulation for national titles was up just 0.6% compared with the previous month.

The best performers in this analysis were titles seen as failing in the not-too-distant past. In percentage terms the biggest rise period on period was at the Business, which added 9.8% to its circulation compared to the previous month. The Sunday Express saw a 7.6% rise over the same period, and also saw the biggest growth in numbers terms, adding 63,336. However, this must be tempered by the news that rival the Mail on Sunday also saw an increase of over 60,000.

The worst performer in percentage terms was the Racing Post, whose circulation dropped 4.9% month on month to a little over 86,000. Tabloid market leader the News of the World saw its close-to-4 million strong readership shrink rather period on period, by some 48,425, the biggest loss in actual numbers.

Quality Market

Year on year, the quality market, like many of the titles within it, remained stable overall during the period November 2001 to April 2002, with an overall circulation of 5.7 million.

The best performer was the still relatively small Business, which is still feeling the good effects of its New Year relaunch, in the form of a 35.3% year on year increase in circulation to just under 75,000.

The news was a lot less positive for another smaller player in the broadsheet field, as the Independent on Sunday saw a 7.5% drop in circulation to 231,557, which also represented the biggest fall in numbers terms.

Mid Market

Once again there remains a similar story in the mid market. As a whole the market slipped 1.8% in circulation year on year, but the losses were confined to the Express titles.

The Daily Express dropped 6% year on year, so that its circulation for the period was at 927,000, while the Sunday Express saw a 9.7% year on year fall to 842,000. Both the Mail titles continue to outstrip their mid-market rivals by some difference, and saw modest year on year increases in circulation for the period.

Popular Market

The popular market was the worst performing sector in a year on year analysis of the November to April period, losing 2.3% of its circulation overall.

The worst performance in percentage terms was seen at Sport First, which lost 11.9% of its circulation, while the biggest drop in numbers terms was at daily market leader the Sun which dropped over 120,000 and which is just embarking on a price war with the Mirror. The Sunday People also saw a heavy reduction in readership, of more than 100,000.

The best performer in this sector was the Daily Star, which continues to strengthen its position. It registered a 13% increase in circulation year on year, up 72,000 to 628,000.

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