NRS National Newspaper Round-Up: July 2005
Daily Newspaper Market
The daily newspaper market continued to see readership decline during July, with only the Times and the Guardian achieving any year on year increase in readers.
The Guardian saw a particularly strong performance, with its readership for July adding 25.1% year on year. The Times also achieved a rise, adding 11.5% in the same period while the rest of the daily market slumped.
Quality Daily Titles
There were several sizeable readership downturns in the daily quality market during July, although glimmers of hope were provided by the Times and the Guardian. Both titles managed to increase their readership, adding 11.5% and 25.1% respectively year on year.
The increases, which give the papers readership totals of 1.84 million and 2.26 million, were the only rises across the whole of the daily newspaper sector in July. Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph held on to its title as the nation’s best-read quality newspaper, despite a slip of 1.1% year on year in readership. The paper’s total now rests at 2.24 million.
Elsewhere, the Financial Times shed 13.6% of its readership during July, pushing its total town to 386,000, while the Independent lost 0.3% in the same period.
Mid Market Daily Titles
The daily mid market looked down in the mouth throughout July, with both the Daily Express and Daily Mail shedding readers year on year. The newspapers lost 6.8% and 1.1% respectively, although the Daily Mail maintained its title as the nation’s second best-read paper with 5.58 million readers.
Popular Daily Titles
There was a similar story amongst Britain’s popular papers, with all four titles struggling against readership decline during July.
The Daily Mirror was the worst hit, with a downturn of 15.6% year on year costing the paper 760,000 readers in real terms. The paper’s principal rival, the Sun, also saw a heavy decline, however, with 13.5% of readers turning their back on the title during July.
Elsewhere the Daily Star saw a comparatively minor dip of 3.1%, pushing its total down to 1.92 million, while the Daily Record lost 11.3% year on year to total 1.28 million.
| National Newspaper NRS Figures – July 2005 | ||||
| Daily Titles | Feb 04-Jul 04 | Feb 05-Jul 05 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Daily Telegraph | 2,265,000 | 2,239,000 | -26,000 | -1.1 |
| Financial Times | 447,000 | 386,000 | -61,000 | -13.6 |
| Guardian | 1,004,000 | 1,256,000 | 252,000 | 25.1 |
| Independent | 685,000 | 683,000 | -2,000 | -0.3 |
| Times | 1,647,000 | 1,837,000 | 190,000 | 11.5 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Daily Express | 2,087,000 | 1,946,000 | -141,000 | -6.8 |
| Daily Mail | 5,644,000 | 5,583,000 | -61,000 | -1.1 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Mirror | 4,872,000 | 4,112,000 | -760,000 | -15.6 |
| Daily Record | 1,447,000 | 1,284,000 | -163,000 | -11.3 |
| Daily Star | 1,987,000 | 1,925,000 | -62,000 | -3.1 |
| Sun | 9,130,000 | 7,896,000 | -1,234,000 | -13.5 |
| Total Daily | 31,215,000 | 29,147,000 | -2,068,000 | -6.6 |
Sunday Newspaper Market
The Sunday newspaper market continued to see readership decline during July, although at a slower rate to its weekday counterpart. Shedding 3.4% overall, the sector as a whole was led into negative growth by a downturn amongst popular titles, along with the Sunday Express‘ 1.2% dip in the mid market. Elsewhere, there were positive figures in the quality sector, with all four Sunday titles achieving readership growth
Quality Sunday Titles
Readership in the quality Sunday market looked positive throughout July, with all four titles achieving year on year growth.
The Observer put notched up the largest percentage growth, adding 20.5% year on year to total 1.28 million, while the Sunday Times also performed well, adding 14.3% to retain its position as the best-read quality Sunday title.
The Independent on Sunday also put in a good performance, adding a solid 7.7% year on year to its readership, which now totals 770,000.
Elsewhere, the Sunday Telegraph struggled to match its rivals’ growth, adding just 0.1% year on year to avoid readership decline.
Mid Market Sunday Titles
The Sunday mid market saw a mixed performance throughout July, with the Mail on Sunday notching up a 3.3% increase to total 6.42 million while the Sunday Express was less fortunate, shipping by 1.2% in the same period to total 2.17 million.
Popular Sunday Titles
The Sunday popular market contributed the majority of the nation’s Sunday market readership decline, with all four titles suffering a downturn year on year.
The People was the worst hit, as 17.6% of its readers looked elsewhere for their weekend news. The title’s readership now totals just over 1.97 million
Elsewhere the market leading News of the World also saw its readership decline, losing 11.7% year on year to total just under 8.6 million.
| National Newspaper NRS Figures – July 2005 | ||||
| Sunday Titles | Feb 04-Jul 04 | Feb 05-Jul 05 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Quality | ||||
| Independent On Sunday. | 715,000 | 770,000 | 55,000 | 7.7 |
| Observer | 1,064,000 | 1,282,000 | 218,000 | 20.5 |
| Sunday Telegraph | 2,109,000 | 2,112,000 | 3,000 | 0.1 |
| Sunday Times | 3,145,000 | 3,596,000 | 451,000 | 14.3 |
| Mid Market | ||||
| Mail On Sunday. | 6,220,000 | 6,424,000 | 204,000 | 3.3 |
| Sunday Express | 2,192,000 | 2,166,000 | -26,000 | -1.2 |
| Popular | ||||
| Daily Star Sunday. | 1,142,000 | 1,081,000 | -61,000 | -5.3 |
| News Of The World | 9,739,000 | 8,595,000 | -1,144,000 | -11.7 |
| People | 2,397,000 | 1,975,000 | -422,000 | -17.6 |
| Sunday Mirror | 5,005,000 | 4,593,000 | -412,000 | -8.2 |
| Total Sunday | 33,728,000 | 32,594,000 | -1,134,000 | -3.4 |
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