ABC National Newspaper Round-Up: October 2005

Daily Newspaper MarketBritain’s daily newspaper industry looked depressed during October, with the market as a whole shedding just under 3% from circulations.

There were depressed circulations across the board in both the mid market and popular sectors, although the quality market provided a glimmer of hope with all three compact titles seeing year on year increases.

Newest compact, the Guardian, saw an impressive rise in circulation during October, adding 6.6% year on year to total 403,297 following its switch to Berliner format earlier in the year.

The latest figures give the first full month of reporting for the title in its new format, having made the change in mid-September (see Guardian Hits Newsstands In Berliner Format).

The Times made the largest circulation increase of the month, adding 7.2% year on year to total 703,492. Elsewhere, rival quality compact The Independent saw an increase of 0.4% year on year to give a total circulation of 267,037.

In other sectors October delivered disappointing results for the daily newspaper industry, with circulation mid market title the Daily Express hit hardest, shedding 11.4% of its circulation, while the nation’s best-selling national newspaper, the Sun, shed 1.6% to total 3.2 million.

Quality Daily Titles

Compact newspapers were the only titles to see circulation rises in the quality sector, with the Times adding 7.2% year on year, to achieve the largest increase.

The paper now commands sales of 703,492, although it remains some way behind the market leading Daily Telegraph, despite a 0.3% dip in circulation by the broadsheet.

Elsewhere, the Guardian proved the value of its new Berliner format, with a 6.6% circulation increase year on year in its first full month of distribution in the new size. The title’s sales now stand at 403,297. The Independent also performed well, adding 0.4% to total 267,037.

The Financial Times lost 4.5% from its circulation during October, knocking its total sales down to 419,249.

Mid Market Daily Titles

The daily mid market looked depressed during October, with the Daily Express and Daily Mail both seeing circulation decreases year on year.

The Daily Express was worst hit, losing 11.4% year on year, pushing its total sales down to 810,827. The Daily Mail lost a smaller amount, at 2.7%, and retained its position at the head of the sector with sales totaling 2.4 million.

Popular Daily Titles

There were circulation downturns across the board in the popular sector, with all four titles losing sales year on year.

The Daily Star suffered the largest decline, with a dip of 6.7% year on year, leaving the paper with a total circulation of 820,028.

The Daily Mirror and Daily Record were also hard hit, shedding 4.8% and 4.5% from their totals respectively year on year. The papers now command circulations of 1.7 million and 454,247.

News International’s Sun escaped with the smallest decline during October, although a dip of 1.6% year on year still translated to a loss of 53,641 sales in real terms. The paper now commands a circulation of 3.2 million and remains the nation’s best selling daily newspaper.

Sunday Newspaper Market

The Sunday newspaper market looked similarly downbeat in October, mirroring the depressed state of the daily market with a 4.6% decline in circulations overall.

Just three papers managed to buck the trend for decline, with the newly compact Independent on Sunday and broadsheet Sunday Times seeing increases, as did the News of the World.

Heavy downturns were also suffered during October, however, with the Sunday Express, Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Mirror all recording double-digit percentage slips in sales.

Quality Sunday Titles

Both the Independent On Sunday and Sunday Times added to their circulations during October, with increases of 7.3% and 3.2% boosting totals to 230,053 and 1.4 million respectively.

Elsewhere, however, the quality sector looked downbeat, as the Observer shed 0.3% from its circulation year on year to total 451,781 while the Sunday Telegraph lost 4% in the same period to total 661,425.

Mid Market Sunday Titles

The Sunday mid market continued to look glum last month, with a heavy decline of 14.3% suffered by the Sunday Express, pushing the paper’s total sales to 829,064.

The title remains the mid market underdog, trailing behind the Mail on Sunday which itself suffered a 6% decline to 2.3 million.

Popular Sunday Titles

The News of the World offered the only ray of hope in an otherwise dismal Sunday popular sector during October, adding 0.1% to its circulation, which now totals 3.8 million.

Elsewhere, the new figures make depressing reading for the popular sector, with the Daily Star Sunday making particularly heavy loses, down 13.9% year on year to 404,723.

The Sunday Mirror also suffered, losing 11% to total 1.5 million, as did the People which now totals 905,494 following a 9.9% dip.

Six Monthly Year On Year Analysis

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