NRS Commentary Jan-Jun 94

National Newspapers

Among the daily newspapers, the Sun and the Times fared best. The Times recorded the highest increase, with its Average Issue Readership figure increasing by 9.7% to 1,352,000. The Sun increased its AIR by 7.7% to break the 10 million mark, up to 10,336,000. No other daily newspapers increased their AIRs.

The greatest fall in readership was recorded by the ailing Independent, decreasing 15.1% to below the million mark at 985,000. The Guardian dropped by 12.3% to 1,255,000; the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror both recorded decreases of more than 10%, to 3,476,000 and 6,899,000 respectively.

Among the Sunday papers, the only one to increase its readership was the News of the World, up 1% to 12,600,000. The heaviest loss was from the Sunday Sport, decreasing readership by 20.1% to below the million mark, 888,000. The Independent on Sunday fared no better than its daily stable mate, dropping 8.5% to 1,257,000. The Sunday Times, although it showed a decrease in its AIR by 2.5% to 3,507,000 still remains by far the most read quality.

General Weekly Magazines

Among the general weekly interest magazines, there are seven with AIRs of over the million mark; 5 of these are TV listings magazines. Whats on TV achieved the highest increase, up 25.4% to 3.904,000. Radio Times, which has the highest AIR of the general weeklies, increased by 0.2%. Exchange and Mart, although still with an AIR of well over one million, recorded a decrease of 22.9% to 1,384,000.

Auto Express recorded one of the highest increases among the general weeklies, up 19.6% to 598,000. New Scientist again performed well, up 7.8% to 495,000. The greatest fall came from Amateur Gardening, down 26.0% to 338,000.

Women’s Weekly Magazines

IPC dominates the weeklies market with its 6 titles taking a 43% share of the total readership in this group. Bauer, however, has the top title, with Take A Break, which recorded an AIR of 3,688,000, an increase of 6.3% on last year’s figure. Together the Bauer titles Take a Break and Bella account for 26% of all readership in this group.

The highest AIR increase was from Emap’s Just Seventeen, up 7.7% to 814,000. IPC’s Chat also fared well, increasing its AIR by 6.9% year on year to 1,449,000. Womans Realm and Womans Own were the only other titles to record increases, all the others recorded decreases year on year. Substantial losses came from IPC’s Me, down 18.4% to 982,000.

General Monthly Magazines

Readers Digest, which dominates the general monthlies with a massive AIR of over 6 million, recorded a decrease of 3% on Jan-Jun 93 to 6,057,000. Sky, which has the next highest AIR of the sector, recorded the highest increase in readership, up a substantial 75.4% to 3,162,000. The other male interest titles also all recorded increases, giving the male interest titles a 10% share of total readership for this group.

The music press fared well, with Vox and Q both recording substantial increases, up 34.5% and 17.5% respectively.

BBC Magazines did not record any large increases; BBC Gardeners World was up 0.4%, and BBC Good Food was up 2.1%. However, BBC Holidays recorded a decrease of 21.1% to 371,000; BBC Wildlife recorded a decrease of 20.7% to 856,000. BBC Vegetarian Good Food recorded its first figure: 335,000.

The motoring sector is dominated by the AA Magazine, with an AIR of 3,987,000. Auto Express recorded the highest increase in AIR, up 19.6% to 598,000.

Performance Car increased its AIR by 8.7% to 912,000. Car Mechanics recorded the biggest decrease of the motoring sector, down 21.1% to 382,000. Practical Classics And Car Restorer dropped 17% to 426,000. Popular Classics and Classic Cars also both recorded substantial decreases, down 13.8% and 12.5% respectively.

Women’s Monthly Magazines

There are 11 women’s monthly titles with AIRs of over 1 million; Gruner and Jahr’s Prima, despite recording a decrease of 9.7%, still tops the group with 2,154,000. Good Housekeeping from National Magazines also has an AIR of over 2 million; 2,131,000.

The highest increase in the group came from Emap’s Period Living, up 39.4% to 198,000. National Magazines’ House Beautiful also recorded a substantial increase, up 13.8% to 921,000. The three IPC titles, Marie Claire, Nineteen and Practical Parenting all recorded increases, up 4.6%, 3.3% and 2.2% respectively. All the other titles in the women’s monthly group recorded decreases in their year on year AIRs.

The biggest decrease in AIRs came from the Clothes Show Magazine, down 26.1% to 904,000. Other big decreases were recorded by Needlecraft, Catch, Home and Country and Elle. Needlecraft fell by 25.9% to 654,000; Elle fell by 18.7% to 770,000.