NRS National Newspaper Round-Up – December 2003
News International’s decision to follow in the Independent‘s footsteps with the launch of a compact version of the Times has so far failed to boost readership of the title.
The latest NRS national newspaper figures show the paper suffered a sharp 14.3% year on year decline in readership, which dipped further below the 2 million mark in the six months to December.
The compact Times launched alongside the existing broadsheet edition for commuters in the London metropolitan at the end of November. Last month News International unveiled plans to extend the availability of its tabloid version in a move that will take its total print run to over 250,000 (see Times Announces Launch Of Tabloid Edition In London).
The Independent‘s compact edition has also failed to have any positive effect on readership, which dipped by 8.6% year on year to just above the 500,000 mark, despite an ongoing advertising campaign to promote the title.
Last week the Independent completely ditched its broadsheet edition in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and South-West England, in a move that many believe brings it a step closer to becoming fully tabloid (see Independent Ditches Broadsheet Edition In Some Areas).
The Independent on Sunday was one of the few quality titles to see readership improve in the six months to December, with a 1.6% year on year increase to 647,000. However, the Observer also performed well and overshadowed its rival with a solid 3.3% rise to 1,246,000 during the same period.
Meanwhile, News International’s Sun failed to shine in the run up to Christmas with readership dipping by 8.4% year on year to just below the 9 million mark, as Rebekah Wade celebrated her first year as editor. News of the World also slipped by 6.2% during the same period to 9.3 million.
Trinity Mirror’s beleaguered People experienced one of the sector’s most significant declines in percentage terms, with a 15.5% drop top just below 2.5 million. The Daily Mirror was also down by 13.4% to below the 5 million mark.
Richard Desmond’s Daily Express saw readership decline by 12% year on year to 2 million. Reports suggest the media mogul is planning to boost marketing and promotions at the title by £5 million in a move that will see editorial budgets at the title cut (see Desmond To Boost Express Promotions Spend By £5 Million).
Mid-market rival, the Daily Mail, dipped by 6.5% year on year in the six months to December. Mail on Sunday also performed poorly with a 2.1% decline to just over the 6 million mark.
The overall picture for national newspaper readership during December was fairly bleak. The sector suffered a 5.3% year on year decline 63,540,000.
| National Newspaper NRS Figures – December 2003 | ||||
| Title | Jul-Dec 02 | Jul-Dec 03 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Daily Express | 2,274,000 | 2,000,000 | -274,000 | -12.0 |
| Daily Mail | 6,024,000 | 5,634,000 | -390,000 | -6.5 |
| Daily Mirror | 5,374,000 | 4,653,000 | -721,000 | -13.4 |
| Daily Record | 1,502,000 | 1,451,000 | -51,000 | -3.4 |
| Daily Star | 1,830,000 | 1,595,000 | -235,000 | -12.8 |
| Daily Star Sunday | n/a | 1,118,000 | n/a | n/a |
| Daily Telegraph | 2,323,000 | 2,129,000 | -194,000 | -8.4 |
| Financial Times | 547,000 | 421,000 | -126,000 | -23.0 |
| Guardian | 1,286,000 | 1,166,000 | -120,000 | -9.3 |
| Independent | 560,000 | 512,000 | -48,000 | -8.6 |
| Independent On Sunday | 637,000 | 647,000 | 10,000 | 1.6 |
| Mail On Sunday | 6,155,000 | 6,024,000 | -131,000 | -2.1 |
| News Of The World | 9,913,000 | 9,296,000 | -617,000 | -6.2 |
| Observer | 1,206,000 | 1,246,000 | 40,000 | 3.3 |
| People | 2,849,000 | 2,406,000 | -443,000 | -15.5 |
| Sun | 9,704,000 | 8,893,000 | -811,000 | -8.4 |
| Sunday Express | 2,261,000 | 2,346,000 | 85,000 | 3.8 |
| Sunday Mirror | 5,247,000 | 5,064,000 | -183,000 | -3.5 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 1,989,000 | 2,001,000 | 12,000 | 0.6 |
| Sunday Times | 3,504,000 | 3,307,000 | -197,000 | -5.6 |
| Times | 1,903,000 | 1,631,000 | -272,000 | -14.3 |
| Total | 67,088,000 | 63,540,000 | -3,548,000 | -5.3 |
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