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Mirror sets new circulation low as tabloids suffer

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 09-Nov-07, 13:45

LONDON - The national tabloid newspaper market suffered a month of bad sales during October, with the Daily Mirror dropping 3.74% from the month before and is now close to dropping below the 1.5m circulation level, according to the latest ABC figures.

Circulation at the Mirror, which gave away a series of Ladybird books during the month, hit a new low of 1,525,477 copies, while its six-month average was down 4.56% to 1,563,023. The Mirror first fell below the 2m mark in March 2003.

The Sun, which continues with the 20p sales price promotion it started in September, failed to capitalise on last month's positive performance and fell 2.7% month on month to 3,126,866 copies. However, its six-month average was only down 1.64% to 3,124,134.

The Daily Star was worst hit, dropping 4.05% to 771,197 copies during October, but its six-month average was down just 0.01% year on year to 798,024 copies.

Overall, the quality papers could not repeat last month's sterling performance and suffered a slight decline in sales from September, dropping 1.07% as a category to 2,707,701 copies.

Pearson's Financial Times was the only quality daily to post a month-on-month rise, up 1.85% to 449,385 copies, and is also the only newspaper in the entire daily market with a positive year-on-year rise, up 1.47% to 440,335.

The Independent suffered a considerable loss in sales, down 4.51% on September to 240,134 copies. Its six-month average was down 4.61% to 242,685.

News International's The Times fell 1.77% in October to 642,895, while its six-month average was down 3.99% to 640,682 copies.

The Daily Telegraph fell just 0.96% to 882,413 copies and its six-month average was down 1.14% to 889,491.

The Guardian, which had a two-week giveaway of a series of posters on architecture entitled 'Great Modern Buildings', fell just 0.83% to 364,513 copies. Its six-month average was down 3.77% to 364,275.

The mid-market continued the trend with declining sales, but worst hit was the Daily Express. It fell 3.07% on September to 789,867 copies and its six-month average was down 3.99% year on year to 793,924.

Its mid-market rival The Daily Mail suffered a slight decline in circulation, dropping 0.49% to 2,353,807 copies. Its six-month average was down 1.44% to 2,342,613 copies.