National Newspaper ABC Round-Up – February 2002

The latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) show that during February the national newspaper market as a whole saw a 1.1% decline in circulation, representing an actual month on month change of a fraction under 300,000.

Worst hit in numbers terms was the normally quite buoyant Daily Mail, whose circulation was down by almost 86,500 or 3.5% to 2.4m. Mid market rival, the Daily Express, also slipped, by 67,000, which represented one of the larger losses in percentage terms, of 6.8% month on month. Worst hit in percentage terms was Sport First which dropped 8.5% in this analysis.

Few titles saw significant month on month increases. The best performer was the Daily Star, which was up 5.4% or almost 33,000. At just over 635,000, its circulation remains unlikely to worry the tabloid rivals the Sun and Mirror, whose circulations, despite small month on month losses, remain above 3 million and 2 million respectively, but its growth is nonetheless impressive.

Elswhere, the FT managed a 2.6% increase and the Sunday Times 2.2%. However, it seems that the optimism of relaunched The Business earlier this year should be tempered by caution as the month on month analysis of February’s figures saw it sustain a 5.1% decrease.

Quality Market

Year on year, the quality market continued to inch upwards during February. The best performance in percentage terms in this analysis was the Business, formerly known as the Sunday Business. Having secured a last minute financial rescue last year, its revamp and the innovation of having it remain on the newsstands for Sunday and Monday each week has resulted in an addition of over 10,000 to its circulation, representing an 18.5% increase.

The best performer in terms of numbers of copies added was the Sunday Times, where a 1.5% increase year on year translates to a 20,884 increase in circulation. Impressive performances were also seen by GMG titles the Guardian and Observer, where increases of 4.7% and 6.4% respectively meant additions of over 400,000 to the circulation of each title.

At the other end of the scale, the Independent on Sunday dropped below the quarter of a million mark with a 5% year on year decrease in circulation, while sister title the Independent barely scraped an increase, ending up just 0.6%.

Mid Market

Overall there was barely any movement year on year in the mid market, with a year on year analysis showing an increase of just 0.1%. However, within the market, the trend of Express titles suffering as Mail titles gain strength continues.

Year on year the worst performance was seen at the Sunday Express which, with a 9% decrease has dropped below the 850,000 mark, a considerable distance short of the magic 1 million mark. The Daily Express was not quite so badly off, with a 5.5% drop leaving it within a 50,000 shout of 1 million, should a change of fortune occur.

In contrast the Mail titles saw comfortable year on year growth. The Daily Mail was up 3.4% year on year, while the Sunday Mail saw a 2.6% year on year increase in circulation.

Popular Market

Circulation for the popular market dwindled to the tune of 1.9% or over 270,000 in a year on year analysis of February’s figures. However, within the market there were some reasonably dramatic performances at either end of the scale.

Star turn was the Daily Star which despite its modest circulation compared to some, continues to be a good little runner. Circulation for the month was up 12.8% or over 70,000, which must be welcome relief at Northern & Shell after the more lack-lustre performances of the Express titles (see above).

The Sunday People is seeing less positive times, with a 7.9% decrease representing over 100,000 lost from its circulation year on year. However, this was not the worst performance in actual numbers terms, as leading daily tabloid the Sun saw a 3.6% slump year on year which represents just under a 130,000 loss in circulation.

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