Jul-Dec’93 NRS Commentary

The latest Average Issue Readership figures for July to December’93 are the first to have a directly comparable period using the CAPI method. NRS has discouraged comparisons between periods using the CAPI data collection method and the old pen and paper method. Titles whose latest figures are for a 6-monthly period can now be compared with July to December’92. However, those who have an annual figure cannot yet be compared with their previous figures.

NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS

Among the daily newspapers the Times achieved the largest readership increase against July to December’92, rising by 12.2% to 1,276,000. The Daily Telegraph still has by far the highest readership of the quality dailies, its July to December figure of 2,734,000 was an increase of 0.7% year-on-year.

While the Independent did experience a fall in readership, it was at nowhere near the rate that its circulation fell in the same period. The newspaper’s AIR fell by 0.9% year-on-year to 1,126,000. Its ABC figure for July to December fell by 11.9% to 324,184.

Both the Daily Mail and Daily Express recorded falls in their readership. the Mail fell by 6.3% to 4,400,000 and the Express fell by 11.6% to 3,488,000. Today’s readership mirrored its recent rise in circulation with an increase of 9.9% to 1,791,000.

All the popular dailies recorded falls in their readership against July to December’92. Notably the Daily Star, down 13.7% to 2,177,000,and the Daily Mirror, down 7.8% to 7,397,000.

The Sun’s recent circulation increase, caused by its cover price cut, appears not to have had a knock-on effect on its readership. Its readership was down by 6.0% to 9,503,000. The only Sunday newspapers to record readership increases were qualities. The Sunday Times rose 11.1% to 3,864,000 and the Sunday Telegraph rose 0.5% to 1,861,000.

The Independent on Sunday’s readership proved more robust than its circulation for the same period. Its figure was up by 7.8% to 1,306,000.

Of the 2 mid markets the Sunday Express suffered most with a fall of 11.4% to 4,505,000. The Mail on Sunday’s readership dropped by 2.2% to 5,736,000. The News of the World was the only popular Sunday whose readership figure remained relatively unscathed. Its figure fell by 2.9% to 12,187,000. The Sunday Mirror’s readership dropped by almost 1 million year-on-year, with a fall 10.6% to 7,996,000.

The People fell by 11.4% to 5,551,000. and the Sunday Sport fell by 30.5% to 911,000.

GENERAL WEEKLY MAGAZINES

The Radio Times still has the highest readership of all the general weekly magazines, despite a fall of 10.2% to 5,221,000. The TV listings titles hold the top 4 highest readerships in this group and account for 56% of the total readership of all the general weeklies.

TV Listings % Ch & Share of Wkly Market

GENERAL MONTHLY MAGAZINES

Of the general monthlies whose readership figures are for a 6-monthly period, and therefore suitable for comparison, Sky achieved the most dramatic increase. Its readership was up by a massive 78.7% to 2,432,000, an increase of over 1 million, giving it the second highest readership of all the general monthlies.

Readers Digest has the highest readership in this group, its figure rose by 2.4% against July to December’92 to 6,172,000.

GQ also recorded a substantial increase, up by 62.6% to 491,000. At the other end of the scale New DIY recorded the largest drop in readership down by 33.1% to 349,000.

Premiere, Sainsburys Magazine and Your Garden all recorded their first readership figures during this period. Sainsburys Magazine achieved a figure of 1,336,000 and Your Garden a figure of 433,000. Premiere’s readership figure of 301,000 was for January to December.

WOMEN’S WEEKLY MAGAZINES

Take a Break, as well as recording the highest readership of all the women’s weeklies, also achieved the highest increase. Its figure rose by 15.6% to 3,709,000. The only other notable increases in this group were achieved by Hello, up 5.5% to 1,644,000, and Woman, up by 4.8 to 2,769,000.

The greatest falls were recorded by Me, down 17.9% to 1,057,000, and Womans Realm, down 16.7% to 1,269,000.

WOMEN’S MONTHLY MAGAZINES

House Beautiful and Marie Claire achieved the highest increases in this group. House Beautiful rose by 37.7% to 881,000 and Marie Claire rose above the 1 million mark, up by 32.6% to 1,077,000.

Good Housekeeping heads the women’s monthly group with a readership of 2,285,000, an increase of 4.6% year-on- year.

Top Sante Health & Beauty recorded its first figure of 671,000 in this period. The magazine launched last February with a print run of 400,000.

Readership for the Argus Romance titles has fallen with their combined figure falling by 22.8% to 552,000. The Clothes Show magazine also suffered during this period, with its figure falling by 15.0% to 1,034,000.