ABC National Newspaper Round-Up: October 2006

Daily Newspaper Market

Most titles in the daily newspaper market saw a dip in their circulation year on year for October, with the market overall seeing a 3% decline.

The Financial Times was the only daily newspaper to boost its distribution, up almost 5% year on year for the month, whilst the Daily Mail remained fairly static, with a circulation of 2.3 million.

The Sun has the highest circulation in the daily market, at just over three million copies, despite having shed 3.6% of its distribution year on year. The Daily Record suffered the highest percentage drop at 7.5%, leaving its circulation at just over 420,000 issues.

Quality Daily Titles

All daily titles apart from one suffered a decline in circulation year on year for the month, with the Times feeling the worst actual loss.

The Times shed almost 50,000 copies from its total to leave its circulation at 656,278, whilst the Guardian‘s distribution figures fell by over 18,500 (almost 5%). Its circulation now rests at almost 385,000 copies.

The Independent lost issues from its total circulation year on year, down 3.6% or almost 10,000 copies, to leave its circulation at more than 257,000 editions. The Daily Telegraph remained fairly static year on year for the month with a circulation that now stands at just over 900,000 copies.

The only title in the sector to boost its distribution was the Financial Times, which added almost 5% to its total. The paper’s circulation was up by more than 20,500 copies and now commands a total of 439,774. The title announced in September that it had appointed Broadsystem to manage all of its UK subscriptions, in a bid to push its subscriber base up (see FT Appoints Broadsystem In Bid To Boost UK Subscriptions).

Mid Market Daily Titles

The Daily Mail‘s circulation remained fairly static year on year for October. Its circulation rests at more than 2.3 million, whilst the Daily Express commands a readership of just over 788,700, down by more than 22,00 copies year on year.

Popular Daily Titles

The Popular sector suffered losses across the board, with market leader the Sun feeling the largest actual loss from its total circulation year on year for the month.

The Sun, which has a distribution of more than 3.1 million, shed 3.6% of its total or 117,015 issues. The Daily Record experienced the biggest percentage drop, shedding 7.5% or almost 34,200 editions. Its circulation now stands at just over 420,000.

The Daily Mirror and the Daily Star also recorded a dip in their circulation. The Mirror lost 5% or more than 84,000 copies from its circulation, whilst the Star dipped by 6% or almost 50,000 copies. The papers have a circulation of around 1.6 million and over 770,000 respectively.

Sunday Newspaper Market

The Sunday newspaper market recorded an overall drop in circulation of 4.3% year on year for October, a fall in real terms of 532,632.

The largest circulation increase of any Sunday title was for the Mail On Sunday, which saw its circulation rise by 113,643 year on year.

The biggest loss, meanwhile, was felt by the News Of The World. However, it remained the Sunday title with the highest total circulation figure.

Quality Sunday Titles

The Observer recorded the largest increase in the Quality sector, both percentage wise and in real terms, of 7.7% or almost 35,000 copies year on year. Its circulation now stands at almost 487,000.

The Sunday Telegraph saw an increase of 1.1% year on year, taking its total circulation to over 668,000.

The Independent On Sunday‘s circulation stayed relatively static, rising slightly year on year to leave it with a total of just over 230,000 copies.

The only title in the Sunday Quality sector to see a decline was the Sunday Times, which suffered a loss of 117,517 copies year on year for the month.

Mid Market Sunday Titles

In the Mid Market, the Mail On Sunday outperformed the Sunday Express, seeing a 5% increase, which equates to 113,643 in real terms Its circulation now rests at more than 2.4 million issues.

The Sunday Express, meanwhile, saw a decline of 37,061, leaving it with a total distribution of just over 792,000.

Popular Sunday Titles

The Popular Sunday titles were down across the board, with the Daily Star Sunday seeing the smallest loss year on year.

The News Of The World recorded a loss of 328,246 year on year, making it the hardest hit of the Sunday Populars in real terms, although it remained the Sunday title with the highest total circulation figure at more than 3.4 million.

The largest percentage decrease in the sector was felt by the People, which recorded a fall of just under 13% year on year to leave it with a circulation of around 789,000.

The Sunday Mirror‘s circulation dropped by 5.6% year on year, a decrease of 81,972 in real term. It now has a total distribution of more than 1.3 million copies.

Six Monthly Year On Year Analysis

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