Compacts Buck Trend For Decline In National Newspapers

Compact quality newspapers continued to buck the trend for circulation decline in April, with the Times and Independent increasing by 1.8% and 0.2% respectively year on year, in the face of declines by every other national newspaper title.

Six-monthly analysis reveals even larger circulation increases for the six months to April, with the Times adding 4.3% year on year, while the Independent added 3.6% in the same period. The titles now command respective circulations of 675,831 and 259,335.

The success of the compact titles poses no immediate threat to Quality market leader, the Daily Telegraph, which, despite a year on year dip of 1.2% in circulation for April, remains the nation’s best read quality newspaper with total sales of 912,497.

Elsewhere, the Daily Mirror suffered the largest year on year downturn in circulation during April, shedding 8.9% of its total to 1.71 million. Rival Popular titles also suffered significant declines, with the Daily Record losing 6.6% of its total in the same period to 466,139. News International’s the Sun remains the nation’s best-selling daily title, with a total circulation of 3.26 million despite a 2.6% year on year dip in April.

Mid Market titles, the Daily Express and Daily Mail suffered comparatively minor circulation declines during April, with their totals falling by 1.5% and 1.1% respectively to 926,438 and 2.38 million.

More comprehensive analysis of the latest ABC National Newspaper results will be available on NewsLine from Monday.

ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk