Guardian and Mail websites grow as The Sun loses ground

by Andrew McCormick, Media Week 27-Nov-07

The Sun's 2.7% October fall in print circulation was compounded by a poor online performance as it dropped 1.5 million unique users, according to the latest figures from audit body ABC Electronic.

The News Group Newspaper-owned tabloid dropped below the 10-million
unique user barrier in October, recording 9.2 million users compared to
10.7 million during the previous month. The Sun now has fewer than half

the unique users recorded by Guardian Unlimited.

The October ABCe figures placed The Sun in fifth place among the
newspapers that make website statistics available to the public.

Telegraph.co.uk overtook The Sun to land fourth place with 11.1 million
unique users in October. But it was Guardian Unlimited and Mail Online
were the most successful. Guardian Unlimited achieved a record 18.4
million unique users in that month, consolidating its position as the
most visited UK newspaper online.

Industry watchers expect Guardian Unlimited to build on last month's
increase of almost two million unique users when its Guardian America
online venture kicks in.

Guardianamerica.com launched on 24 October to cater for its large US
audience. More than 60% of Guardian Unlimited's online readership is
based overseas, although the Daily Mail's website has the highest
percentage of foreign-based readers, with only 28% of unique users
accessing it from inside the UK.

Meanwhile, the Mail's site continued its rise up the rankings in October
to become the second most read UK newspaper website, according to the
ABCe figures.

Dailymail.co.uk recorded 13.5 million unique users, up from 11.7 million
in September.