ABC National Newspaper Round-Up November 2002
The latest ABC results for national newspaper circulation reveal a relatively static period for the sector, which saw circulation slip by 0.4% month on month during November.
The recently revamped Sunday Times saw the most significant upward movement in percentage terms, with circulation increasing by 3.2% month on month to 1,442,519. The Daily Mirror, which recently emerged from a fierce coverprice war with the Sun, also performed well during November, recording the largest increase in actual terms. Circulation improved by 52,933 to 2,148,058.
At the other end of the spectrum, Sport First experienced the most notable decline in percentage terms, with circulation slipping by 11.4% during November to 38,588. The Independent On Sunday also faltered, with circulation dropping by 4.0% month on month to 219,095. Despite its recent revamp, Trinity Mirror’s People continued to see circulation fall, dropping 2.6% month on month.
The Sun suffered the most significant loss in actual terms, with circulation slipping by 71,266 during November to 3,541,198.
| National Newspaper November 2002 ABC Monthly Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Oct 2002 | Nov 2002 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Business, The | 89,991 | 90,705 | 714 | 0.8 |
| Daily Express | 989,874 | 988,136 | -1,738 | -0.2 |
| Daily Mail | 2,436,889 | 2,420,301 | -16,588 | -0.7 |
| Daily Mirror | 2,095,125 | 2,148,058 | 52,933 | 2.5 |
| Daily Record | 534,104 | 532,756 | -1,348 | -0.3 |
| Daily Star | 749,093 | 736,186 | -12,907 | -1.7 |
| Daily Telegraph | 972,596 | 965,208 | -7,388 | -0.8 |
| Financial Times | 451,859 | 451,790 | -69 | -0.0 |
| Guardian | 404,949 | 404,801 | -148 | -0.0 |
| Independent | 221,369 | 221,597 | 228 | 0.1 |
| Independent On Sunday | 228,328 | 219,095 | -9,233 | -4.0 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,412,966 | 2,400,007 | -12,959 | -0.5 |
| News Of The World | 4,004,586 | 3,979,216 | -25,370 | -0.6 |
| Observer | 488,718 | 489,353 | 635 | 0.1 |
| People | 1,202,315 | 1,170,528 | -31,787 | -2.6 |
| Racing Post | 80,075 | 78,209 | -1,866 | -2.3 |
| Sport First (Sunday) | 43,571 | 38,588 | -4,983 | -11.4 |
| Sun | 3,612,464 | 3,541,198 | -71,266 | -2.0 |
| Sunday Express | 988,344 | 989,668 | 1,324 | 0.1 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,697,419 | 1,701,469 | 4,050 | 0.2 |
| Sunday Sport | 188,687 | 187,767 | -920 | -0.5 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 791,669 | 781,416 | -10,253 | -1.3 |
| Sunday Times | 1,398,414 | 1,442,519 | 44,105 | 3.2 |
| Times | 687,611 | 688,480 | 869 | 0.1 |
| Total | 26,771,016 | 26,667,051 | -103,965 | -0.4 |
Quality Market
The recent coverprice rises appear to be taking their toll on the quality market, with the majority of broadsheet titles seeing circulation fall during the six months ending November 2002.
The Independent On Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph experienced some of the sector’s most notable declines, with circulation falling by 6.6% and 4.5% respectively. The Sunday Times managed a 0.3% year on year increase in circulation during the six months to November. However, The Times fared less well, experiencing a 4.1% decline during the same period. The Business continued its upward trend with circulation improving by 52.2% to 87,344.
| Quality Market Jun 02 – Nov 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Jun 01 – Nov 01 | Jun 02 – Nov 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Business, The | 57,403 | 87,344 | 29,941 | 52.2 |
| Daily Telegraph | 1,022,295 | 991,465 | -30,830 | -3.0 |
| Financial Times | 477,127 | 454,154 | -22,973 | -4.8 |
| Guardian | 409,839 | 399,185 | -10,654 | -2.6 |
| Independent | 231,151 | 224,165 | -6,986 | -3.0 |
| Independent On Sunday | 242,614 | 226,674 | -15,940 | -6.6 |
| Observer | 466,964 | 462,719 | -4,245 | -0.9 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 814,570 | 778,152 | -36,418 | -4.5 |
| Sunday Times | 1,391,458 | 1,395,918 | 4,460 | 0.3 |
| Times | 718,878 | 689,382 | -29,496 | -4.1 |
| Total | 5,832,299 | 5,709,158 | -123,141 | -2.1 |
Mid-Market
Richard Desmond’s Sunday Express continued to perform strongly in the mid-market with a 12.3% year on year increase in circulation. The Daily Express also managed a 3.3% rise during the same period, taking its circulation to 989,549. In comparison, the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday slipped by 2.0% and 0.4% respectively.
| Mid Market Jun 02 – Nov 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Jun 01 – Nov 01 | Jun 02 – Nov 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Express | 957,785 | 989,549 | 31,764 | 3.3 |
| Daily Mail | 2,484,975 | 2,435,038 | -49,937 | -2.0 |
| Mail On Sunday | 2,390,914 | 2,380,696 | -10,218 | -0.4 |
| Sunday Express | 870,068 | 977,490 | 107,422 | 12.3 |
| Total | 6,703,742 | 6,782,773 | 79,031 | 1.2 |
Popular Market
Year on year analysis of the popular market reveals that only a handful of titles saw circulation improve in the six months ending November 2002.
The popularity of the Daily Star continued to increase and the title, which recently gave rise to a Sunday spin-off (see NewsLine Feature: Sunday Star Hopes To Shine), saw circulation increase by 17.4% year on year to 731,182. The Sun also performed well during the six months to November, with circulation increasing by 3.7% to 3,626,262.
At the other end of the scale, Sport First and the Daily Record saw circulation decline by 47.6% and 9.5% respectively. The People also performed poorly, with circulation declining by 8.5% to 1,274,946.
| Popular Market Jun 02- Nov 02 ABC YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Jun 01 – Nov 01 | Jun 02 – Nov 02 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Mirror | 2,207,472 | 2,118,405 | -89,067 | -4.0 |
| Daily Record | 599,752 | 543,000 | -56,752 | -9.5 |
| Daily Star | 622,826 | 731,182 | 108,356 | 17.4 |
| News Of The World | 4,046,711 | 3,976,103 | -70,608 | -1.7 |
| People | 1,393,630 | 1,274,946 | -118,684 | -8.5 |
| Racing Post | 78,638 | 81,738 | 3,100 | 3.9 |
| Sport First | 83,120 | 43,583 | -39,537 | -47.6 |
| Sun | 3,495,943 | 3,626,262 | 130,319 | 3.7 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1,858,371 | 1,751,373 | -106,998 | -5.8 |
| Sunday Sport | 205,958 | 189,694 | -16,264 | -7.9 |
| Total | 14,522,386 | 14,218,112 | -304,274 | -2.1 |
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