ABC National Newspaper Round-Up: May 2006
Daily Newspaper Market
Daily newspapers in Britain continued to drop in circulation last month, with an overall dip of 2.98% year on year for May. However the decline was less marked than April’s fall, which was 3.11% in total.
All sectors saw an overall decline in circulation, with the tabloids suffering the most. The Daily Mirror and the Daily Star saw the biggest percentage drop at 8.2% and 8.9% respectively.
Only three dailies bucked the trend – the Daily Mail, the Guardian and the Financial Times, with the FT seeing sales increase by 4.6%.
| National Newspaper ABC Figures – May 2006 | ||||
| Daily Titles | May-05 | May-06 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Daily Telegraph | 915,711 | 900,236 | -15,475 | -1.7 |
| Financial Times | 431,287 | 451,153 | 19,866 | 4.6 |
| Guardian | 372,562 | 381,188 | 8,626 | 2.3 |
| Independent | 263,043 | 257,226 | -5,817 | -2.2 |
| Times | 684,695 | 663,543 | -21,152 | -3.1 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Daily Express | 898,396 | 845,234 | -53,162 | -5.9 |
| Daily Mail | 2,359,003 | 2,390,324 | 31,321 | 1.3 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Mirror | 1,780,554 | 1,634,006 | -146,548 | -8.2 |
| Daily Record | 467,857 | 443,063 | -24,794 | -5.3 |
| Daily Star | 863,083 | 785,850 | -77,233 | -8.9 |
| Sun | 3,230,332 | 3,149,029 | -81,303 | -2.5 |
| Total Daily | 12,266,523 | 11,900,852 | -365,671 | -2.98 |
Quality Daily Titles
The Financial Times was thriving last month, adding sales of 19,866, an increase of 4.6% compared to May 2005. This was however down from April’s year on year rise of 8.3% but leaves the broadsheet with a circulation of 451,153.
The Guardian also had a good month with 2.3% more sales than in May last year, ending with a circulation of 381,188.
The Times saw its circulation drop by 21,152 or 3.1% year on year to 663,543. This was however not as bad as last month’s year on year drop of 4.5%.
The Daily Telegraph also saw sales decrease by 15,475 or 1.7%, a bigger deficit than April’s year on year comparison. It remains by far the market leader however with its circulation at 900,236.
There was further suffering for the Independent too, which historically has the lowest circulation in the sector, with a 5,817 or 2.2% decline in its readership, slightly better than last month’s 3.5% drop.
Mid Market Daily Titles
The Daily Express lost 53,162 readers or 5.9% compared to May 2005, leaving the paper’s circulation at 845,234. This was not as bad as the 10.1% fall year on year it saw for April however.
The Daily Mail on the other hand had a cracking month, raising its readership by 31,321, a 1.3% rise, to a circulation of 2,390,324.
Popular Daily Titles
The red-tops all suffered declining sales, following on from April’s trend.
The Daily Mirror‘s sales slid by 146,548 readers, which represents an 8.2% drop in sales and leaves a circulation of 1,634,006.
The Sun lost 81,303 or 2.5% of sales compared to May last year, but remains the market leader with a circulation of 3,149,029.
Similarly the Daily Star lost 77,233 of sales, an 8.9% decline, while the Daily Record lost 24,794 readers, a 5.3% loss.
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Sunday Newspaper Market
The Sunday newspapers also performed poorly, with an overall year on year fall for the month of 3.1%, the same percentage drop as April’s comparison.
The News Of The World lost the most readers, a substantial 137,318 or 3.8% less sales. The Sunday Express also had a miserable month with a drop of 110,163 or 12% year on year.
The Mail On Sunday and the Independent On Sunday managed to perk up their sales however, raising them by 88,429 (3.9%) and 20,730 (10%) respectively.
| National Newspaper ABC Figures – June 2006 | ||||
| Sunday Titles | Jun-05 | Jun-06 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Independent On Sunday. | 206,007 | 227,337 | 21,330 | 10.4 |
| Observer | 441,802 | 460,939 | 19,137 | 4.3 |
| Sunday Times | 1,349,943 | 1,302,823 | -47,120 | -3.5 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 666,031 | 664,672 | -1,359 | -0.2 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Mail On Sunday. | 2,253,176 | 2,341,605 | 88,429 | 3.9 |
| Sunday Express | 919,416 | 809,253 | -110,163 | -12.0 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Star Sunday. | 420,739 | 391,077 | -29,662 | -7.0 |
| News Of The World | 3,653,168 | 3,515,850 | -137,318 | -3.8 |
| People | 932,200 | 838,417 | -93,783 | -10.1 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,545,789 | 1,449,654 | -96,135 | -6.2 |
| Total Sunday | 12,388,271 | 12,001,627 | -386,644 | -3.1 |
Quality Sunday Titles
The Independent On Sunday had a great month with an increase in sales of 10% or an actual rise of 20,730, putting its circulation up to 227,337. However it still has the lowest circulation of any of the Sunday qualities.
The Observer also flourished with 19,137 (4.3%) more sales, giving it a circulation of 460,9393.
It was a bad month for the Sunday Times, which saw a sales downturn of 47,120 or 3.5%, leaving it with a circulation of 1,302,823.
The Sunday Telegraph also suffered with the loss of 1,359 or 0.2% of its sales.
Mid Market Sunday Titles
The Mail On Sunday did very well last month, with sales up 88,429 or 3.9%, significantly above its opposition the Sunday Express, which saw sales slip by 110,163 or 12%.
Popular Sunday Titles
All of the popular Sunday papers suffered declining sales with the News Of The World experiencing the most severe drop with a loss of 137,318 or 3.8% of sales. However it remains by far the market leader with a circulation of 3,515,850.
The People had a 93,783 or 10% drop year on year for May, while the Sunday Mirror lost 96,135 readers or 6.2% of sales.
The Daily Star On Sunday also lost sales with a 29,662 or a 7% decline.
Six Monthly Year On Year Analysis
| National Newspaper ABC Figures – Dec 2005 – May 2006 | ||||
| Daily Titles | Dec 04 – May 05 | Dec 05 – May 06 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Daily Telegraph | 911,171 | 902,358 | -8,813 | -1.0 |
| Financial Times | 427,129 | 446,880 | 19,751 | 4.6 |
| Guardian | 368,337 | 381,917 | 13,580 | 3.7 |
| Independent | 259,431 | 256,686 | -2,745 | -1.1 |
| Times | 676,196 | 667,067 | -9,129 | -1.4 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Daily Express | 927,062 | 830,230 | -96,832 | -10.4 |
| Daily Mail | 2,379,941 | 2,383,087 | 3,146 | 0.1 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Mirror | 1,730,901 | 1,661,468 | -69,433 | -4.0 |
| Daily Record | 467,790 | 445,127 | -22,663 | -4.8 |
| Daily Star | 847,618 | 787,298 | -60,320 | -7.1 |
| Sun | 3,262,105 | 3,158,859 | -103,246 | -3.2 |
| Total Daily | 12,257,681 | 11,920,977 | -336,704 | -2.75 |
| National Newspaper ABC Figures – Dec 2005 – May 2006 | ||||
| Sunday Titles | Dec 04 – May 05 | Dec 05 – May 06 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Independent On Sunday | 207,761 | 236,970 | 29,209 | 14.1 |
| Observer | 444,075 | 483,481 | 39,406 | 8.9 |
| Sunday Times | 1,367,468 | 1,341,178 | -26,290 | -1.9 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 689,617 | 675,648 | -13,969 | -2.0 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Mail On Sunday | 2,357,127 | 2,318,896 | -38,231 | -1.6 |
| Sunday Express | 961,062 | 844,878 | -116,184 | -12.1 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Star Sunday | 455,974 | 393,591 | -62,383 | -13.7 |
| News Of The World | 3,690,792 | 3,564,608 | -126,184 | -3.4 |
| People | 961,173 | 864,122 | -97,051 | -10.1 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,552,086 | 1,480,506 | -71,580 | -4.6 |
| Total Sunday | 12,687,135 | 12,203,878 | -483,257 | -3.8 |
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