ABCs March 2015: Daily market records slight growth

After a tough couple of months for the national newspaper market, March has seen period-on-period declines ease up with most titles recording only very small changes in circulation.

However, the year-on-year data shows continuing declines with the daily market down more than half a million copies overall, a -7.6% drop.

In the quality market, only the Financial Times and The Times recorded any growth between February and March 2015. The FT was up 1.4% (almost 3,000 copies), whilst The Times sold an extra 2,000 (up just 0.5%).

However, the year-on-year picture for the FT demonstrates the ongoing plight for most print brands: down -7.4%, the title has witnessed a circulation decrease of more than 17,000 copies. The paper now sells 213,423 issues each day in print.

The i was the worst performer in the quality market, down -1.6% (a drop of almost 4,600 copies). The remaining titles recorded very small changes between -0.1% and -0.7%.

The mid-market remained fairly static in March, as did much of the popular market. It was the Daily Mirror that recorded the strongest gain, up 1.3%, which took it up a significant 11,400 copies.

However, the Mirror’s performance could not stop The Sun from shining. Up only 0.9%, the UK’s best selling daily flogged an extra 15,800 copies, whilst both the Daily Record and the Daily Star saw small declines of -0.9% and -0.3%, respectively.

London Free Press

A 2.3% increase in circulation saw the London Evening Standard add an extra 20,200 copies in March; however, yearly gains seem to finally be slowing after the title increased its print run earlier last year.

Distribution of City A.M., which introduced a new supplement at the end of March, remained fairly flat with a 0.9% period-on-period increase, while Metro (London) recorded no change at all.

Overall the sector was up 1.2% in March thanks to the Evening Standard’s performance, and, in contrast to the declining daily and Sunday markets, remained blissfully static in its yearly circulation.

Sunday Market

Mirroring the daily market, there was minimal change to sales of Sunday titles in March, with the largest decrease in circulation belonging to the Daily Star Sunday at -3.1%.

A small 0.4% increase over the month netted the Sunday Times an extra 3,350 copies, while the Sunday Telegraph added an extra 1,900 after a 0.5% period-on-period increase.

In the mid-market, the Mail on Sunday saw sales decrease by a little over 5,800, while the Sunday Express dropped 6,400 and the Sunday Post 2,100.

While Sun on Sunday sales declined by almost 15,000 in March, it remains the best-selling Sunday title with a circulation of almost 1.5 million.

As usual, the yearly figures reflect a slow and steady decline for all print titles – with the entire Sunday market down -9.7%.