The Media in Figures: National newspaper sales in Scotland

FOR the fifth, consecutive month, the year-on-year circulation in Scotland of The Times newspaper has increased, according to the latest official figures.

Says newspapers auditing body, ABC, the average circulation in Scotland of the paper during last month was 19,561 – up 5.5 per cent on the average of 18,535 during May last year.

The April 2014 to April 2015 year-on-year figure was a 3.8 per cent rise – as reported, here.

The March 2014 to March 2015 year-on-year figures was a 3.4 per cent increase, as reported here, while the February 2014 to February 2015 year-on-year figure was a 2.1 per cent increase, as reported here, and the January 2014 to January 2015 one was a 2.4 per cent increase, as reported, here.

But the paper was not the only national daily or Sunday title to experience a year-on-year increase between May last year and last month. The Independent scored an one per cent increase, while the Independent on Sunday registered a 3.2 per cent one.

In summary, ABC figures read, as follows:

Daily Mirror – 18.8 per cent drop = from 17,489 on average during May last year, to 14,202 last month;

Daily Record – 11 per cent drop = from 210,118 on average during May last year, to 186,978 last month;

Daily Star of Scotland – 14.3 per cent drop = 43,848 to 37,597;

The Scottish Sun – ten per cent drop = 248,419 to 223,745;

Scottish Daily Express – 13.1 per cent drop = 49,747 to 43,230;

Scottish Daily Mail – 1.9 per cent drop = 93,090 to 91,288;

Daily Telegraph – 5.1 per cent drop = 17,933 to 17,013;

Financial Times – 8.4 per cent drop = 2,347 to 2,149;

The Guardian – 6.4 per cent drop = 10,146 to 9,501;

i – 6.3 per cent drop = 18,516 to 17,343;

Independent – one per cent up = 2,631 to 2,657; and

The Times – 5.5 per cent up = 18,535 to 19,561.

Meanwhile, the Sunday titles’ sales figures in Scotland were as follows:

Daily Star of Scotland – Sunday – 15.3 per cent down = 22,921 to 19,422;

The Scottish Sun – Sunday – 12 per cent down = 176,522 to 155,469;

Sunday Mail – 12.7 per cent down = 234,944 to 205,046;

Sunday Mirror – 6.4 per cent down = 16,221 to 15,174;

The People – 17.4 per cent down = 9,287 to 7,673;

Scottish Mail on Sunday – 2.3 per cent down = 82,337 to 80,416;

Scottish Sunday Express – 10.9 per cent down = 28,041 to 24,989;

The Sunday Post – 11.1 per cent down = 149,215 to 132,656;

Independent on Sunday – 3.2 per cent up = 5,068 to 5,230;

The Observer – 0.6 per cent down = 13,675 to 13,593;

Sunday Telegraph – 4.3 per cent down = 15,678 to 15,010; and

Sunday Times – 4.6 per cent down = 46,620 to 44,460.

Source: ABC, June 5 2015. Please note: The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, The Herald and the Sunday Herald now appear in the twice-yearly ABC regional newspapers report.