ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – August 2002
The latest figures from ABC for National Newspaper circulation reflect a relatively static picture of newspaper circulation throughout August. Month on month circulation declined by 0.3%.
The worst fall in percentage terms was seen at the Sunday Express, which extended it’s losses month-on-month by 7.5%. The title has been coutrting controversy since it was taken over by Richard Desmond, who also runs OK magazine, and the departure of its high profile editor Rosie Boycott. Financial paper, The Business, was close behind, dropping 6.1% year-on-year.
At the other end of the scale, Sport First increased its circulation by 35.1% month-on-month. While the Racing Post notched up a 6% month-on-month gain, with a circulation of 85,671. However, it was the News Of The World which made the biggest gain in actual terms, adding 61,461 month-on-month.
| National Newspaper August 2002 ABC Monthly Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Jul 2002 | Aug 2002 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Business, The | 84,107 | 78,990 | -5,117 | -6.1 |
| Daily Express | 992,859 | 946,410 | -46,449 | -4.7 |
| Daily Mail | 2,416,895 | 2,416,410 | -485 | -0.0 |
| Daily Mirror | 2,092,034 | 2,114,666 | 22,632 | 1.1 |
| Daily Record | 543,929 | 551,046 | 7,117 | 1.3 |
| Daily Star | 736,088 | 691,777 | -44,311 | -6.0 |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,005,003 | 1,003,679 | -1,324 | -0.1 |
| Financial Times | 459,141 | 475,461 | 16,320 | 3.6 |
| Guardian | 391,723 | 396,695 | 4,972 | 1.3 |
| Independent | 226,641 | 226,007 | -634 | -0.3 |
| Independent On Sunday | 231,745 | 231,019 | -726 | -0.3 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,381,151 | 2,356,437 | -24,714 | -1.0 |
| News Of The World | 3,862,029 | 3,923,490 | 61,461 | 1.6 |
| Observer | 439,722 | 450,887 | 11,165 | 2.5 |
| Racing Post | 80,790 | 85,671 | 4,881 | 6.0 |
| Sport First (Sunday) | 35,610 | 48,125 | 12,515 | 35.1 |
| Sun | 3,609,493 | 3,506,773 | -102,720 | -2.8 |
| Sunday Express | 989,296 | 915,098 | -74,198 | -7.5 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,762,612 | 1,766,052 | 3,440 | 0.2 |
| Sunday People | 1,324,684 | 1,341,825 | 17,141 | 1.3 |
| Sunday Sport | 188,521 | 190,263 | 1,742 | 0.9 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 771,812 | 777,081 | 5,269 | 0.7 |
| Sunday Times | 1,340,996 | 1,390,132 | 49,136 | 3.7 |
| Times | 682,672 | 698,864 | 16,192 | 2.4 |
| Total | 26,649,553 | 26,582,858 | -61,578 | -0.3 |
Quality Market
Analysis of the six-month period from March to August 2002 compared with the same period in 2001 paints a relatively stable picture of the quality market. The sector’s biggest riser was The Business , which saw a 41.1% increase in circulation year-on-year, an actual increase of 23,023. The Sunday Times was also seen extending gains, up 32,314 year-on-year, a 2.4% increase.
Elsewhere, the Sunday Telegraph and the Independent on Sunday saw the sector’s most significant loses, with circulation falling 3.1% and 5.5% respectively, year-on year.
| Quality Market Mar 02 – Aug 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Mar 01- Aug 01 | Mar 02 – Aug 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Business, The | 55,967 | 78,990 | 23,023 | 41.1 |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,017,514 | 1,003,697 | -13,817 | -1.4 |
| Financial Times | 483,069 | 475,461 | -7,608 | -1.6 |
| Guardian | 398,614 | 396,695 | -1,919 | -0.5 |
| Independent | 225,530 | 226,007 | 477 | 0.2 |
| Independent On Sunday | 244,397 | 231,019 | -13,378 | -5.5 |
| Observer | 452,249 | 450,887 | -1,362 | -0.3 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 801,894 | 777,081 | -24,813 | -3.1 |
| Sunday Times | 1,357,818 | 1,390,132 | 32,314 | 2.4 |
| Times | 708,593 | 698,864 | -9,729 | -1.4 |
| Total | 5,745,645 | 5,728,833 | -16,812 | -0.3 |
Mid-Market
Analysis of ABC results for the six-month period from March to August 2002 compared with the same period in 2001 show the mid-market depressed by the continued decline of the Daily Express, which fell 1.7% year-on-year. Losses were seen across the board, with the exception of the Sunday Express, which was seen up 0.1%.
| Mid Market March 02 – August 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Mar 01-Aug 01 | Mar 02- Aug 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Express | 962,581 | 946,410 | -16,171 | -1.7 |
| Daily Mail | 2,432,481 | 2,416,410 | -16,071 | -0.7 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,371,277 | 2,356,437 | -14,840 | -0.6 |
| Sunday Express | 914,470 | 915,098 | 628 | 0.1 |
| Total | 6,680,809 | 6,634,355 | -46,454 | -0.7 |
Popular Market
Significant year on year loses in circulation were also experienced in the popular market, which saw an overall decline of 1.5%. Despite its price-cutting tactics and re-branding the Daily Mirror lost 91,194 year-on-year, as well as it’s traditional tabloid red-top. Meanwhile key rival The Sun increased its circulation by 0.1% year-on-year, an actual increase of 2,816.
| Popular Market Mar 02- Aug 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Mar 01 – Aug 01 | Mar 02 – Aug 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Mirror | 2,205,860 | 2,114,666 | -91,194 | -4.1 |
| Daily Record | 600,684 | 557,871 | -42,813 | -7.1 |
| Daily Star | 604,360 | 691,777 | 87,417 | 14.5 |
| News Of The World | 4,000,066 | 3,923,490 | -76,576 | -1.9 |
| Racing Post | 78,904 | 85,671 | 6,767 | 8.6 |
| Sport First | 74,073 | 52,167 | -21,906 | -29.6 |
| Sun | 3,503,957 | 3,506,773 | 2,816 | 0.1 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,857,067 | 1,766,052 | -91,015 | -4.9 |
| Sunday People | 1,400,245 | 1,329,382 | -70,863 | -5.1 |
| Sunday Sport | 197,170 | 190,263 | -6,907 | -3.5 |
| Total | 12,521,457 | 12,330,859 | -190,598 | -1.5 |
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