National Newspapers – NRS Round-Up
Qualities
The latest NRS Average Issue Readership figures, for October to March 1995 show the continued effects of the price war. The Times recorded the highest increase year on year, up 18.48% to 1,538,000. The Guardian and the Daily Telegraph both recorded increases on last year’s figure, up 3.95% and 2.86% respectively.
The Independent’s decline continues, with its Average Issue Readership estimate down 12.5% year on year to 924,000. However, the worst hit of the quality dailies was the Financial Times, down 14.45% to 669,000, the lowest readership it has had since 1992.
The Sunday titles’ readership reflects that of their daily sister titles; the Sunday Telegraph fared well, up 12.85% year on year to well over 2 million and the Sunday Times was up 6.49% to almost reach the 4 million mark, 3,954,000. The Observer also increased its readership, up 3.24% to 1,529,000. The Independent on Sunday however, lost the most of any newspaper year on year, 19.07% to 980,000 to record its lowest ever figure.
| OCT-MAR’94 | OCT-MAR’95 | % CH | ACTUAL CHANGE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAILY TELEGRAPH | 2,587,000 | 2,661,000 | 2.86 | 74,000 |
| FINANCIAL TIMES | 782,000 | 669,000 | -14.45 | -113,000 |
| GUARDIAN | 1,290,000 | 1,341,000 | 3.95 | 51,000 |
| INDEPENDENT | 1,056,000 | 924,000 | -12.5 | -132,000 |
| TIMES | 1,298,000 | 1,538,000 | 18.48 | 240,000 |
| INDEP. ON SUNDAY | 1,211,000 | 980,000 | -19.07 | -231,000 |
| OBSERVER | 1,481,000 | 1,529,000 | 3.24 | 48,000 |
| SUNDAY TELEGRAPH | 1,913,000 | 2,046,000 | 12.85 | 233,000 |
| SUNDAY TIMES | 3,713,000 | 3,954,000 | 6.49 | 241,000 |
Mid-Markets
Among the mid-markets, the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday were the only titles to record increases year on year; the Mail on Sunday was up the most, by 3.6% to 5,921,000; the Daily Mail was up by 1.51% to 4,422,000.
Today recorded a decrease year on year of 7.12% down to 1,669,000. The Express titles both recorded their lowest ever readership figures, the Daily Express down 10.1% year on year to 3,186,000 and the Sunday Express down 11.77% year on year to below 4 million at 3,985,000.
| OCT-MAR’94 | OCT-MAR’95 | % CH | ACTUAL CH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAILY MAIL | 4,356,000 | 4,422,000 | 1.51 | 66,000 |
| DAILY EXPRESS | 3,544,000 | 3,186,000 | -10.1 | -358,000 |
| TODAY | 1,797,000 | 1,669,000 | -7.12 | -128,000 |
| EVENING STANDARD | 1,222,000 | 1,154,000 | -5.56 | -68,000 |
| MAIL ON SUNDAY | 5,715,000 | 5,921,000 | 3.6 | 206,000 |
| SUNDAY EXPRESS | 4,517,000 | 3,985,000 | -11.77 | -532,000 |
Populars
Among the popular daily titles, only the Sun recorded an increase year on year in its AIR figure, up 3.32% year on year to 10,050,000. The Daily Star recorded a decrease of 5.62% to 2,046,000, but the Daily Mirror fared worst, losing 8.28% year on year to 6,385,000.
The Sunday Sport reported the highest increase year on year of all the popular titles, up 16.17% year on year to 948,000. The News of the World was the only other popular Sunday title to increase its readership year on year, up 0.18% to 12,294,000.
The Sunday Mirror and the People both recorded decreases of more than 2.3% year on year.
| OCT-MAR’94 | OCT-MAR’95 | % CH | ACTUAL CHANGE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAILY MIRROR | 6,962,000 | 6,385,000 | -8.28 | -577,000 |
| DAILY STAR | 2,168,000 | 2,046,000 | -5.62 | -122,000 |
| SUN | 9,727,000 | 10,050,000 | 3.32 | 323,000 |
| NEWS OF THE WORLD | 12,271,000 | 12,294,000 | 0.18 | 23,000 |
| PEOPLE | 5,616,000 | 5,483,000 | -2.36 | -133,000 |
| SUNDAY MIRROR | 7,991,000 | 7,801,000 | -2.37 | -190,000 |
| SUNDAY SPORT | 816,000 | 948,000 | 16.17 | 132,000 |