NRS Advance Figures Jan’91-Jun’91
Topline NRS trends Jan’91-Jun’91 vs Jan’90-Jun’90
Commentary
National Newspapers
The latest NRS figures for the national newspapers reinforce the continuing downward trend already presented by the ABC figures for January to June 1991.
Of the quality dailies the Independent and Daily Telegraph fairs best, recording increases of 0.3% and 0.5% year-on-year.
Readership for the Times has fallen below the 1m mark, down 21.9% to 960,000. The Observer was the only quality Sunday to show a readership increase during this period, up 0.8% to 1940,000.
The Sunday Telegraph failed to achieve the results of the weekday title, falling 11.1% year-on-year.
Amongst the mid-market titles Today continues its downward slide, loosing readership by 20.4%.
The Sunday Express and Daily Express both record year-on-year losses of 4.7% for January to June 1991. Readership for the Sun remains below 10m, at 9675,000 for this period. The other popular dailies also continue to loose readership, the Daily Mirror falls 9.3% and the Daily Star 3.2%.
News of the World stays way ahead of the other popular Sundays with a readership figure of 12,659,000, although the title did experience a loss of 1.7%.
Once again the Sunday Sport records a dramatic loss, down 17.1% to 1371,000.
Colour Supplements
Of the two Saturday supplements that have readership figures, the Telegraph Magazine records the highest figure, up 2.2% to 2854,000. The Independent Magazine achieved a respectable increase of 8.2% to give a readership of 1616,000.
The Sunday supplements presented a less encouraging picture with almost all titles loosing readership year-on-year. Notably the Sunday Express Magazine, down 5.1% and Sunday, down 3.1%.
General Weeklies
Once again no figures appear for the TV Times and Radio Times, leaving Exchange and Mart to head this field with an increase of 16.1% to 1609,000.
The highest year-on-year increase among the general weeklies was recorded by Amateur Gardening, up 62.4% to 617,000. Country Life also recorded a huge increase, up 50.9% to 578,000.
The music weeklies faired well with all four magazines increasing quite substantially. NME rose 21.4% to 732,000, Melody Maker rose 26.7% to 380,000, Number One rose 17.9% to 343,000 and Kerrang rose 21.4% to 340,000.
Notable losses in this field include Punch, which fell 24.0% to 263,000, and Investors Chronicle, which fell 13.0% to 140,000.
Women’s Weeklies
Woman’s Own remains ahead of Bella in this period, with a readership of 3720,000, up 6.1%. Bella’s readership increases 2.0% to 3582,000.
Hello continues with its now familiar pattern of doubling its readership year-on-year, rising by 108.8% to 894,000.
Other notable increases among the women’s weeklies were recorded for Chat, up 45.7% to 1662,000, and The Lady, up 28.5% to 316,000.
Those to loose readership included the teenage titles Jackie and My Guy, which fell 31.7% and 24.2% respectively.
Women’s Monthlies
Prima continues to head the women’s monthlies with a readership of 2249,000, up by 4.1% on January to June 1990.
Among other titles at the top of this field, Good Housekeeping and Vogue record substantial increases. GH rises 16.9% to 1796,000 and Vogue rises 18.2% to 1512,000.
The young women’s magazines Looks and ’19’ record increases of 31.1% and 33.9%, to give readerships of 620,000 and 599,000 respectively.
At the bottom of this field Traditional Homes achieved an increase of 45.6%, to give a readership of 166,000.
Notable losses among the women’s monthlies include Woman’s Journal, which fell 19.7% to 595,000, Annabel, which fell 14.9% to 561,000 and Company, which fell 14.0% to 448,000.
General Monthlies
Readers Digest, which heads the general monthlies field, lost readership by 4.5% year-on-year, to give a figure of 5800,000.
TV Guide is second with a readership of 1905,000, there are no comparable figures as the title has changed frequency from a weekly to a monthly.
BBC Wildlife rose by a huge 80.2% to 1303,000, placing it fourth in this group.
Other general monthlies to record large increases include Q (+32.9%), Flicks (59.0%), Fast Lane (+40.8%), Trout and Salmon (+31.3%) and Trout Fisherman (+65.8%).
The men’s magazines in this group all lost readership year on year; Knave fell 22.4% to 312,000, Mayfair fell 24.4% to 458,000, Fiesta fell 24.7% to 556,000 and Penthouse fell 19. 6% to 444,000.
Other notable losses among the general monthlies were recorded for Saga (-27.3%), Custom Car (-28.4%), Film Review (-22.4%), Geographical Magazine (-18.8%) and Practical Woodworking (-21.5%). The first readership figure for the music magazine Vox was recorded during this period. The title achieved a readership of 447,000, placing it in the middle of the general monthlies group.