ABC National Newspaper Round-Up – March 2003

The latest ABC figures for newspaper circulation brought mixed news to the sector, which experienced a 1.4% month on month decline in circulation despite the conflict in Iraq.

The figures support the growing belief that consumers are increasingly turning to 24-hour news channels and the internet to get up to date coverage on the crisis at the expense of newspapers.

The biggest declines were seen in the tabloid sector, the Sunday Mirror experienced the biggest decline in real terms, falling 88,285 month on month. However, its main rival the News Of The World wasn’t far behind, with circulation dropping 79,868 year on year.

The Daily Star Sunday, also fell considerably, despite the continued publicity campaigns supporting the new launch.

However, it is the Daily Mirror which has attracted the most column inches as the title fell below the 2 million mark, with a 2.2% year on year decline in circulation to 1,997,846.

There were exceptions to the sector decline with business titles resisting the sector declines with good news at both pink papers. The Business saw circulation increase 8% month on month, while the Financial Time increased its circulation by 4.7%.

In the wider broadsheet market the Daily Telegraph continued to decline, despite launching nation-wide marketing initiatives the paper fell 0.1% month on month. Elsewhere, the Guardian and the Independent reported solid circulation increases.

Quality Market

The quality market experienced a surprisingly weak set of circulation figures considering the events unfolding on the world stage. With the exception of The Business and The Observer all quality titles experienced a decline in circulation year on year.

The Business saw a 23,442 year on year increase in circulation, which rose to 93,245 from 69,803 in the same period in 2001. Its fellow pink paper the Financial Times saw its circulation decline 6.3% year on year.

The Observer’s 2.7% year on year increase in circulation will come as a surprise to some media analysts, who had claimed the paper’s pro-war stance had alienated its traditional readers.

In real terms the largest year on year increase was experienced by the Daily Telegraph which saw its circulation drop 63,156 year on year to below the million mark. However, the title 9is currently undergoing a huge branding and marketing push across the UK and has also been given a widespread redesign and new columnists in an attempt to halt the slide. It is also worth noting that the title recently stopped the costly practise of bulk sales, which many analysts believe over-inflate sales figures.

Another big decliner in the sector was The Times, which saw its circulation further eroded as it declined 38,230 year on year.

Mid Market

Mid market papers experienced year on year increases in circulation figures across the board, with Richard Desmond’s Express and Sunday Express recording the biggest increases. Benefiting from the public’s seemingly insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip the Sunday Express saw circulation increase by 120,531 year on year, while the Daily Express added 29,804 to its circulation.

Meanwhile the strength of the Daily Mail showed little signs of wavering, confirming its position as the voice of middle England. The Mail On Sunday saw circulation increase by 26,938 to 2,381,631, while the Daily Mail rose 0.2% year on year.

Popular Market

Year on year analysis of the popular market reflects the fickle nature of the tabloid readership. Few titles recorded a solid year on year increase in circulation, with the notable exception of the Daily Star, which rose 29.9% year on year, with its simple booze and gossip formula.

In real terms the sector’s biggest decliner was the People which saw its circulation fall by 201,101 year on year. Trinity Mirror’s flagship Sunday Mirror and Daily Mirror also recorded sizeable declines in circulation. The Mirror shed 72,755 off its circulation year on year, while the Sunday Mirror fell by 7.4% year on year. Much has been made of the paper’s anti-war stance as being behind the decline.

Metro Titles

Associated Newspaper’s daily free sheet the Metro experienced a relatively stable period, with an overall decline in circulation of 0.5%. However, the title experienced a 7% year on year increase in the lucrative London market, where its dominant position in tube stations helped it increase its circulation by 27,638 year on year.