ABC National Newspaper Round-Up: May 2012

The daily newspaper market is down -8.3% on May 2011, with just one title posting an increase over the year. i continues to see its circulation rise – the title is up 64.3% on this time last year (it released its first ABC figure in January 2011). Postively, a number of titles saw their circulation figures increase on April’s release.

The Sunday market, meanwhile, now includes the edition of Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun (Sunday), which sold 3.21 million copies in its first week. That figure was down to 2.7 million on 4 March – its second week. In this ABC release, The Sun (Sunday) posted a -2.4% PoP decline. Overall, the Sunday market is up 31.8% YoY.

This report also includes the Monday-Friday and Saturday average split, as well as the London free ABC figures. City A.M. has increased its distribution 31.2% PoP following its expansion strategy in the South and South West.

Daily Newspaper Market

Quality Daily Titles

• i enjoyed a 64.3% YoY increase to 274,539 copies
• The Guardian and The Times both enjoyed PoP increases – up 0.3% and 0.7% respectively
• The Independent suffered the biggest loss, down -47.6% YoY and -4.7% PoP (more than -85,000 copies)

Mid-Market Daily Titles

• The Daily Express enjoyed a 5.1% PoP increase; while the Daily Mail saw a -3.0% PoP drop. Both titles posted YoY decreases

Popular Daily Titles

• All four titles in the red-top sector recorded PoP and YoY declines in circulation
• Over the year, The Sun has witnessed the biggest actual loss, down -235,000 copies but it remains the top-selling title with a total circulation of over 2.6 million

Mon-Fri and Sat

Sunday Newspaper Market

Quality Sunday Titles

• The Independent on Sunday and the Observer both enjoyed PoP increases – up 2.9% and 0.1% PoP respectively
• Over the year, The Sunday Times witnessed the biggest actual loss, down by more than -125,000 copies but it remains the most popular Sunday broadsheet with a total circulation of over 924,000

Mid-Market Sunday Titles

• The Mail on Sunday enjoyed a small 0.1% PoP uplift; while the Sunday Express posted a -3.2% PoP drop in sales

Popular Sunday Titles

• The People and the Sunday Mirror both enjoyed a small rise this period, up 0.1% and 0.5% PoP respectively (the Sunday Mirror also posted a 0.7% YoY increase)
• The Daily Star Sunday posted a small -0.4% PoP drop but a 57% YoY rise
• The Sun (Sunday) recorded a -2.4% PoP decline to 2.24 million copies