Broadsheet newspapers are stepping up their promotional activities, as they look to mop up print readers from the Independent following its closure.
The last print issue of The Independent was published on Saturday 26 March and the Independent will only be a website and digital app.
According to ABC, the Independent’s last audited print circulation figure was 54,187, with 30,084 paying the full weekday price of £1.20.
The Telegraph titles, The Guardian and Times are all ramping up their promotions.
Telegraph Media Group (TMG) is offering half-price home delivery subscriptions of The Daily and Sunday Telegraph for eight weeks, which it says represents a saving for readers of £44.
News UK, meanwhile, is offering 12 weeks free delivery of The Times and The Sunday Times, which it says will save readers £25.
The Guardian is promoting a number of offers, including an offer from newsagents for a free Guardian and Observer for a week followed by two further weeks at half price.
It is also offering a special subscription offering the Guardian and Observer for £5 a week for three months.
The National Federatiion of Retail Newsagents said: "Rival titles appear to have stepped up their promotional activity in the light of the Independent's decision to close its print edition and go digital only. The NFRN welcomes the postive steps being taken to retain physical newspaper readers."
Sensationalist tabloid the Sunday Sport, which is unlikely to attract readers from the Independent, tweeted: “Sorry to see a fine newspaper disappear from the shelves- but the Sunday Sport welcomes all Independent readers.”
The offer was mentioned by i editor Oliver Duff in his leader column yesterday (Monday).
Questioned by Press Gazette whether the Sunday Sport would be targeting readers of the Independent, a spokesman said: “The 1,000th Indy reader to come across gets a visit from a Sunday Sport glamour babe”.
In his leader yesterday, Duff also acknowledged that readers of the Independent (which continues to share content with the i) would move across to the i.
He said: “I understand we welcome some new readers to i today, following Saturday’s final print edition of the Indy. Please step aboard.”
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