If Rupert Murdoch’s paywall gambit was intended to defend print circulations, it isn’t working – new circulation figures suggest.
The Times and Sunday Times became the first UK national newspapers to go completely behind paywalls in June this year.
Circulation decline at both titles was in line with the rest of the market in September, new figures released by ABC reveal.
Sales for The Times dropped 14.8 per cent to year on year to 486,868 and at the Sunday Times circulation fell by 9.5 per cent to 1,091,869.
The only circulation riser among the national titles was the Daily Star, currently on sale for just 10p in many areas. It rose 0.09 per cent to 864,315.
The biggest faller among the dailies was the Telegraph, down 17.8 per cent year on year to 659,650. The Observer was the biggest faller among the Sundays, down 15.6 per cent to 325,502.
Year on year circulation decline at the quality end of the market has been worsened by a decision to drop many foreign sales and bulk copies which had been inflating sales figures.
National newspaper print circulation for September (source ABC)
Average daily sale, and percentage change year on year.
National dailies:
Daily Mirror ; 1,213,323 ; -7.12
Daily Record ; 323,974 ; -5.02
Daily Star ; 864,315 ; 0.09
The Sun ; 2,974,405 ; -3.41
Daily Express ; 659,650 ; -7.36
Daily Mail ; 2,144,229 ; -0.73
The Daily Telegraph ; 659,445 ; -17.75
Financial Times ; 390,228 ; -4.48
The Herald ; 53,348 ; -6.46
The Guardian ; 278,129 ; -11.69
The Independent ; 182,776 ; -1.99
The Scotsman ; 43,435 ; -8.68
The Times ; 486,868 ; -14.81
Racing Post ; 53,974 ; -7.22
National Sundays
Daily Star Sunday ; 371,457 ; -3.41
News of the World ; 2,948,328 ; -5.78
Sunday Mail ; 388,980 ; -6.02
Sunday Mirror ; 1,126,053 ; -7.83
The People ; 532,420 ; -5.58
Sunday Express ; 560,273 ; -9.49
Sunday Post ; 323,183 ; -7.72
The Mail on Sunday ; 1,969,990 ; -2.12
Independent on Sunday ; 155,174 ; -0.80
The Observer ; 325,502 ; -15.59
Scotland on Sunday ; 55,949 ; -5.95
Sunday Herald ; 42,817 ; -0.05
The Sunday Telegraph ; 507,860 ; -15.27
The Sunday Times ; 1,091,869 ; -9.55
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