The Media in Figures: Sales of national newspapers in Scotland

THE year-on-year average circulations in Scotland of both The Times and The Financial Times newspapers have increased, according to official figures.

Says newspapers auditing body, ABC, the average circulation in Scotland of The Times during last month was 19,744 – up 0.04 per cent on the average of 19,736 during September last year.

Meanwhile, the corresponding figure for the FT was a three per cent increase, from an average 2,425 during September last year to 2,499 12 months on.

In the most recent, previous set of national newspaper ABC figures – issued a month ago (as noted here) – it was also both The Times and the FT that had enjoyed year-on-year sales increases – while all other national newspapers in Scotland had seen their year-on-year figures fall.

Then, it was a 0.3 per cent increase for The Times to an average 20,489 two months ago and a 5.8 per cent increase for the FT to 2,447 (again, two months ago).

For The Times, those August figures, like these ones for September, represented a rising trend over several months.

In summary, ABC figures read, as follows:

Daily Mirror – 20.4 per cent drop = from 17,529 on average during September last year, to 13,959 last month;

Daily Record – 11.2 per cent drop = from 202,831 on average during September last year, to 180,100 last month;

Daily Star of Scotland – 13.3 per cent drop = 41,519 to 35,976;

The Scottish Sun – 9.4 per cent drop = 238,823 to 216,291;

Scottish Daily Express – 12.4 per cent drop = 47,570 to 41,682;

Scottish Daily Mail – 5.5 per cent drop = 94,028 to 88,817;

Daily Telegraph – 4.4 per cent drop = 18,192 to 17,393;

Financial Times – three per cent up = 2,425 to 2,499;

The Guardian – 11 per cent drop = 10,189 to 9,075;

i – 5.5 per cent drop = 18,870 to 17,838;

Independent – 13.8 per cent drop = 3,001 to 2,586; and

The Times – 0.04 per cent up = 19,736 to 19,744.

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

Daily Star of Scotland – Sunday – 16.2 per cent down = 22,723 to 19,051;

The Scottish Sun – Sunday – 10.2 per cent down = 172,652 to 155,114;

Sunday Mail – 13 per cent down = 227,160 to 197,477;

Sunday Mirror – 26.2 per cent down = 17,398 to 12,830;

The People – 21 per cent down = 9,274 to 7,323;

Scottish Mail on Sunday – 6.4 per cent down = 81,237 to 76,009;

Scottish Sunday Express – 11.4 per cent down = 26,951 to 23,881;

The Sunday Post – 10.9 per cent down = 144,345 to 128,580;

Independent on Sunday – 8.3 per cent down = 5,548 to 5,088;

The Observer – 5.3 per cent down = 13,706 to 12,978;

Sunday Telegraph – 9.1 per cent down = 15,667 to 14,246; and

Sunday Times – 4.2 per cent down = 45,771 to 42,679.

Source: ABC, October 9 2015. Please note: The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, The Herald and the Sunday Herald now appear in the twice-yearly ABC regional newspapers report.