Times To End Cover Price Undercuts On Monday

Monday will see The Times raise its weekday cover price from 55p to 60p, ending its undercutting of rivals, The Telegraph and The Guardian.

Speculation has suggested that the move is due to increased losses at Times Newspapers, which shed £40.1 million in the year to June 2004, compared with £28.6 million the year before. However, the Times has increased circulation lately, riding the wave of popularity for compact titles, with an rise of 7.3% year on year.

The paper’s total circulation now stands at 698,043, second only in the daily quality market to the Daily Telegraph, which currently commands sales of 912,319.

Even with the Times‘ price rise, however, the paper continues to undercut its compact rival, the Independent, which currently sells for 65p. The Financial Times remains the nation’s most expensive quality daily title, with a cover price of £1, although this has remained constant in a sea of cover price change since January 2002.

The Times‘ cover price increase will not affect its Sunday sister title, the Sunday Times, which will remain at the £1.50 mark, level with the Observer and slightly higher than the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph at £1.40.

The Times: 020 7782 5000 www.timesonline.co.uk