Times Price Increase – June Circ Of 680,000

The price of the Times will rise by 5p next Monday 3rd July, to 25p, it was announced last night. This is still 20p below the pre-price war level of 45p.

The new price, 25p on weekdays and 35p on Saturday follows a rise in newsprint costs of 50% in the first six months of this year. According to the Times the newspaper’s sales for June will be over 680,000 copies per day, compared with 354,000 pre-price war. Editor Peter Stothard said, “The price cutting policy has been a huge triumph for the Times. None of us has seen newspaper growth quite like this before.”

Douglas Flynn, Managing Director of News International said, “What is particularly encouraging about these sales figures is that the recent trends show a rising proportion in the 25-44 year olds reading the Times.Our research shows that The Times will continue to grow unabated at 25p.” This price level still keeps the Times at 5p cheaper than either of its cost-cutting rivals, the Independent or Daily Telegraph. It is expected that the Telegraph will follow suit quickly, putting its price up by 5p as well to go to 35 pence.

Douglas Flynn also took the opportunity to criticise the NRS’ readership figures; “We still suffer from the lag in readership research information. On a day by day basis we are way ahead of the figures shown in the National Readership Survey.”

He also added that the price cuts had been successful in terms not just of added circulation and readership, but in advertising rates and volume.

QUALITY PRICE WAR: CIRCULATION TRENDS 000’s

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