Guardian’s Berliner Continues Sales Increase

The latest ABC figures released today show the Guardian continuing to profit from its switch to the Berliner format, with the paper notching up a circulation increase of 6.3% year on year to give sales of just over 401,000.

The title, which made the change to Berliner in mid-September, has outperformed the market in the following months, building on initial success and adding around 50,000 sales since adopting the new format (see Guardian Hits Newsstands In Berliner Format).

Despite its success, however, the Guardian remains a somewhat minor threat to quality market leader, the Daily Telegraph. With a circulation of 903,405, the Telegraph is head and shoulders above its rivals, despite a circulation dip of 1.5% year on year in the latest ABC figures.

Elsewhere, compact titles The Times and Independent both saw circulation increases in November, adding 1.3% and 0.4% respectively to command sales of 691,283 and 263,449. The Financial Times also saw an increase year on year, adding 1.5% to total 431,806, although the Guardian is fast eroding its lead and looks primed to overtake.

Last month saw Andrew Gowers, editor of the Financial Times, hand in his resignation, citing “strategic differences” with the paper’s management (see FT Editor Steps Down Citing ‘Strategic Differences’). The title also faces stiff competition from newly-launched London freesheet City AM which this month commissioned research claiming more workers in the City and Canary Wharf now read the title than the FT (see City AM Claims More Readers Than FT).

Elsewhere the new ABC figures show both the daily mid market and popular sectors in decline, with circulation decreases across the board. The Daily Express was the worst hit, losing 10.7% of its sales year on year to command a total of 796,592.

The Sunday market saw a broadly similar picture, although popular title the News Of The World injected some life into the sector, adding 2.8% to its circulation year on year to total 3.7 million and retain its position as the best selling Sunday title.

A full breakdown of the latest ABC figures will be available on NewsLine this afternoon, with detailed analysis for both weekday and weekend titles by market sector.

ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk