ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – April 2005

Daily Newspaper Market

April saw the nation’s quality compact titles continuing to buck the trend for decline amongst national newspapers, with the Times and Independent increasing their circulation by 1.8% and 0.2% respectively year on year, according to the latest figures from ABC.

Six-monthly analysis reveals even larger circulation increases for the six months to April, with the Times adding 4.3% year on year, while the Independent added 3.6% in the same period. The titles now command respective circulations of 675,831 and 259,335.

The papers’ success flies in the face of declines for the daily newspaper market overall, which has seen circulations fall by 3.82% year on year in April.

The Daily Mirror suffered the largest year on year decline in circulation during the month, as the title dropped 8.9% of its total to 1.71 million. Rival popular titles also suffered, with the Daily Record losing 6.6% of its total in the same period to 466,139.

News International’s the Sun remains the nation’s best-selling daily title, with a total circulation of 3.26 million, but was also seen in a poor light as its circulation fell by 2.6% year on year last month.

Mid Market titles, the Daily Express and Daily Mail suffered comparatively minor circulation declines, with dips of 1.5% and 1.1% respectively to give circulations of 926,438 and 2.38 million.

Quality Daily Titles

The Daily Telegraph remains the nation’s best selling quality title, despite a year on year dip of 1.2% in April, with a total circulation of 912,497. The paper recently announced the next phase in its redundancy drive, with 15 journalists forced from their jobs, while a further 75 will leave under prior arrangement to take the company’s voluntary redundancy package (see Telegraph Sheds More Staff In Redundancy Drive).

Elsewhere, the Guardian saw a year on year circulation dip of 3.7% in April, pushing its total down to 367,478. However, the paper will soon undergo a revamp, switching to a Berliner-style format, adopted in France by Le Monde, which is part way between a broadsheet and a tabloid. The change is expected to occur overnight, rather than as a staged process, as with the Times and Independent‘s switch to compact form, and is designed to boost the paper’s popularity and ape the success of its current compact rivals (see Guardian To Down-Size In Autumn).

Current compact titles, the Times and Independent, were the only papers to see circulation increases, adding 4.7% and 0.7% respectively to give total sales of 684,448 and 262,004 in April.

Mid Market Daily Titles

Mid market daily titles the Daily Express and Daily Mail saw year on year declines in circulation during April, although these were comparatively minor when compared with other national newspapers’ performance.

The Daily Mail remains the largest selling mid market paper, with a circulation of 2.38 million. The Express has yet to break the 1 million mark, however, with a circulation of 926,438.

Popular Daily Titles

The popular market suffered declines in circulation across the board, with the Daily Mirror leading the way, shedding 8.9% of its circulation year on year in April. The title now commands sales of 1.71 million, well below that of its principal rival, News International’s Sun – still the market leader, and best-selling national daily newspaper, with a circulation of 3.2 million despite a 2.6% dip year on year last month.

Elsewhere, the Daily Record saw heavy declines, losing 6.6% of its circulation year on year, while the Daily Star saw sales decrease by 5.7% in the same period. The titles now command circulations of 466,139 and 850,936 respectively.

Sunday Newspaper Market

The nation’s Sunday newspaper market looked similarly depressed in April, with overall circulation dipping by 1.8% year on year.

Several titles managed to stave off circulation decline, however, with the Sunday Times seeing particularly strong growth, at 9.9% year on year. The paper now commands a circulation of 1.5 million, the largest of any quality Sunday newspaper.

Elsewhere, the Mail on Sunday saw the only rise amongst mid market Sunday titles, adding 1.9% to its circulation year on year to further extend its lead over rival, the Sunday Express. The title’s circulation now reaches 2.4 million, compared to the Sunday Express‘ total of 912,089.

The nation’s popular titles were less fortunate, however, with none seeing growth in circulations, and several heavy declines. The Daily Star Sunday suffered worst, shedding 11.8% of its circulation year on year, while the People lost 9% in the same period.

Market leading News of the World also saw sales slip, losing 5% of its circulation year on year last month, while the Sunday Mirror fared better, losing a comparatively minor 2.1%.

Quality Sunday Titles

The Sunday Times fared well in April, adding 9.9% to its circulation year on year to total 1.5 million and retain its position as market leader amongst the nation’s quality titles. Elsewhere, the Observer also performed well, adding 0.7% in the same period to command sales of 453,197.

Not all quality titles were so fortunate, however, with the Independent on Sunday shedding 1% of its circulation to 210,198 while the Sunday Telegraph fared worse, losing 3% to 686,270.

Mid Market Sunday Titles

The nation’s mid market titles saw mixed results, with the Mail on Sunday increasing its circulation by a healthy 1.9% year on year, compared with a 2.2% decline by the Sunday Express in the same period.

The Mail on Sunday now commands a circulation of 2.4 million, compared to the Sunday Express‘ 912,089.

Popular Sunday Titles

There were circulation declines across the board amongst the nation’s popular Sunday titles in April, with the Daily Star Sunday shedding 11.8% year on year to lead the way and push its total down to 460,396.

The Sunday Mirror also suffered in April, losing 2.1% year on year, while market leader, and arch rival, News of the World, lost 5% over the same period. The titles, commanding circulations of 1.5 million and 3.6 million are still amongst the best selling national newspapers, but have seen heavy declines in line with market performance over recent months.

Elsewhere, the People suffered a 9% downturn in sales year on year, pushing its total below the 1 million mark.

Six Monthly Year On Year Analysis

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