ABC National Newspaper Round-Up: January 2006

Daily Newspaper Market

Britain’s daily newspaper market continued to look downbeat in January, with circulations slipping by 1.86% year on year to demonstrate the continuing decline facing the industry.

Dips in circulation across the board in both the mid market and popular sectors contributed to the sales slip, and despite some healthy rises in the quality sector, these were not large enough to make up the difference.

The Daily Express was worst hit of any national daily, shedding 10.6% of its total to push sales down below the 850,000 mark. The title has seen its sales drop by more than 100,000 in real terms over the last 12 months, although compared with December 2005, the latest data shows a 6.07% increase.

Elsewhere, the Daily Star saw the largest circulation dip in the popular sector, shedding 4.8% year on year to total 820,070.

The daily quality sector was the only market to see circulation growth year on year in January, with the Guardian and Financial Times reporting healthy sales increases of 4.8% and 4.6% respectively. There were also minor circulation dips, however, with the Daily Telegraph and the Times losing 0.4% and 0.2% from their totals year on year.

Quality Daily Titles

The Daily Telegraph retained its leadership of the daily quality market in January, with a circulation of 917,043 keeping the title head and shoulders above its rivals, despite a dip in sales of 0.4% year on year.

The Times also suffered a slight dip in sales, with a 0.2% downturn year on year leaving the compact daily with a circulation of 685,081.

Elsewhere, the Guardian continued to see the benefits of its Berliner format, with a rise of 4.8% in sales year on year giving the title a total circulation of 394,913.

The Financial Times also saw success in January, adding 4.6% to total 441,840 and provide credence to publisher Pearson’s claim of a return to profits this year (see Pearson Optimistic As FT Faces Break Even).

The Independent also added to its circulation, with a modest 0.5% rise pushing the paper’s sales to 258,387.

Mid Market Daily Titles

The mid market saw a depressing set of results for January, with both the Daily Express and the Daily Mail recording year on year circulation decline.

The Daily Express saw the largest downturn, losing 10.6% from its total year on year, while the Daily Mail shed a comparatively minor 0.8%. The papers now command sales of 849,001 and 2.39 million respectively.

Popular Daily Titles

The popular market looked similarly downbeat in January, with the Daily Star recording the largest downward turn, shedding 4.8% year on year to see sales total 820,070. The Daily Record also saw decline, with a loss of 4.2% in the same period pushing its total down to 451,932.

Less severe declines were seen by arch-rivals the Sun and Daily Mirror, with respective losses of 1.9% and 1.2% leaving the titles circulations at 3.3 million and 1.7 million.

Sunday Newspaper Market

The Sunday newspaper market aped the performance of its daily counterpart in January, with a downturn in sales across the board in both the mid market and popular sectors.

The People saw the largest decline of any Sunday title, losing 10.6% year on year. This was closely followed by the Sunday Express, shedding 10.1% in the same period.

There were bright points, however, as both the Independent on Sunday and the Observer recorded impressive circulation increases.

The newly tabloid Independent on Sunday saw an increase of 16.9% year on year, pushing its circulation to 241,414, while the Berliner Observer, which adopted the mid-sized format at the beginning of January, recorded a year on year gain of 21.3% (see Guardian Hits Newsstands In Berliner Format).

Quality Sunday Titles

Newly compact titles the Independent on Sunday and the Observer saw impressive circulation increases of 16.9% and 21.3% year on year in January.

The increase sees the Independent on Sunday command sales of 241,414, while the Observer adds more than 95,000 in real terms to total 241,075.

Traditional broadsheets the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph saw modest declines in sales meanwhile, shedding 1.4% each. The Sunday Times remains the nation’s favourite quality Sunday title, however, with a circulation of almost 1.36 million.

Mid Market Sunday Titles

The Sunday mid market saw a similar performance to its weekday counterpart in January. The Sunday Express saw the most severe decline, losing 10.1% from its total year on year, while the Mail on Sunday dipped by 1.7% in the same period.

The Mail on Sunday remains the market leader, with a circulation of just under 2.45 million, while the Sunday Express’ sales now total 877,101.

Popular Sunday Titles

The People saw the largest decline in the popular sector, losing 10.6% from its sales year on year to total 895,275. The Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Mirror also suffered, shedding 4.5% and 4.7% respectively to push total sales down to 439,067 and 1.57 million.

The News of the World saw the smallest decline, shedding a comparatively minor 0.9% year on year. The paper now commands a total circulation of 3.79 million, retaining its position as the nation’s favourite Sunday title.

Six Monthly Year On Year Analysis

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