ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – July 2004

The Guardian continued to see its circulation decline last month, as the paper lost 4.5% compared with June as a result of intensified competition in the broadsheet market. However, the Guardian recently announced an intention to reduce its size, adopting the Berliner size and shape favoured by French newspaper Le Monde, in order to revive its flagging readership (see Guardian Takes Titles Compact With £50 Million Investment).

The redesign will also affect the Observer, itself suffering 4.1% downturn in circulation compared with June, and mirrors the decisions of the Times and the Independent to reduce their format to appeal to commuters.

The Independent continues to prosper from its format change, having dropped its broadsheet edition entirely and experiencing positive growth ever since. Last month saw circulation creeping up 0.2% on June, while the Times saw circulation slip by 1.6% in the same period.

It is not clear why the Times, publishing in dual format, has failed to ape the Independent‘s success, as the newspaper recently unveiled research claiming that the scaled-down edition is drawing a young, upmarket audience to the newspaper, which was traditionally been a stalwart of older readers.

According to The Times Compact Readership Study, the tabloid edition is also encouraging greater loyalty to the brand and is attracting a higher percentage of regular readers than the broadsheet (see Compact Times Proves Successful In Attracting New Readers).

Elsewhere, the UK’s tabloid newspapers received a mixed bag of results, with Trinity Mirror’s flagship Daily Mirror losing 0.9% of its circulation in the same month that former Sunday Mirror deputy editor, Richard Wallace, took charge of the paper. The editorial reshuffle followed the dismissal of high-profile editor Piers Morgan in June.

Bitter rivals The Sun, on the other hand, saw circulation increase by 0.9%, further increasing their lead over the Daily Mirror and capitalising on the public uproar caused by Morgan’s publication of fake Iraqi abuse photos.

Quality Titles

The Business continued to perform well, with circulation increasing by a mammoth 131.3% in the six months to July, as its recently terminated distribution deal with the Mail on Sunday continued to pay dividends and seed reader loyalty.

The Independent was also on top form, rising by 17.1% year on year to 259,965, while the Times mustered a 1.6% increase in the same period. The Financial Times fared less well, however, as its circulation struggled, falling by 5.4% to 436,405.

Mid-Market Titles

Mid-market titles were in decline with the exception of the Sunday Express during the six months to July, as Richard Desmond’s populist weekend offering notched up a 2.5% increase to just under a million year on year. The Daily Mail dipped by 0.9% during the same period while the Mail on Sunday lost 0.3%.

Popular Titles

Northern & Shell’s Daily and Sunday Star were the only success stories amongst the tabloid titles in year on year analysis, with the papers reporting circulation increases of 4.5% and 6.4% respectively.

All other titles saw a decline, with the Daily Mirror down 5.5% year on year as it continues to reel from the scandal surrounding its fake Iraqi abuse picures. However, the Mirror was not bottom of the pile, with the Sunday Sport performing worst amongst the popular titles, losing 13.2% year on year in the six months to July, settling with a circulation of just over 157,000.

Metro Titles

Associated Newspaper’s Metro titles continued to perform strongly with their overall certified distribution rising by 4.7% year on year during July. The newspapers now command a circulation of 928,297 but could face competition from Richard Desmond’s planned London freesheet, provisionally entitled i (see Desmond Eyes New Name For Planned London Free-Sheet).

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