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Daily Mirror to start charging for digital edition because of news industry’s ‘unprecedented challenges’

By Dominic Ponsford

The Daily Mirror is start charging for access to its weekday tablet edition.

The digital replica of the print edition has been free since it was launched in December 2012.

But from 5 September the daily will start charging a subscription (albeit at around a third the cost of the print version). The Daily Mirror website remains free.

In a letter to tablet readers Mirror group editor Lloyd Embley said: “The news industry is facing unprecedented challenges in an uncertain economic climate, but in this momentous year, I firmly believe properly resourced, independent journalism you can trust is more important than ever.

“Our new charge works out at just 23p a day -and will go some way to help us cover our day-to-day running costs. I hope you agree this still represents great value for our award-winning exclusives, agenda-setting columnists and unrivalled team of experts.

“It will help us continue to hold the government to account on Brexit, analyse the most unpredictable US election in history, and bring the most heart-warming human stories to life.”

The Daily Mirror was the only paid-for national newspaper to offer digital access to the print edition for free. The Mirror already charges for its weekend digital edition.

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The Daily Mirror’s weekday digital edition attracts an average of 74,631 “active views” per day according to ABC. The most popular national newspaper digital editions counted by ABC are the Sunday Times (95,187) and The Times (82,700) – both of which are paid-for.

The paid-for weekend digital edition of the Mirror attracts an average of 9,000 views per day according to ABC.

Circulation of the print edition of the Daily Mirror (which costs 65p) fell 10 per cent year on year to 770,714 in June (according to ABC).

UK newspaper digital edition circulations audited by ABC

Product Jun 16 YoY%
The Sunday Times tablet edition 95187 3.04
The Times tablet edition 82700 7.57
The Mirror (Monday – Friday) 74631 1.05
Metro Digital Publication 30720 -23.03
The Mail on Sunday Digital Publications 25130 -1.48
Daily Mail Digital Publications 24937 -0.78
The Mirror (Weekend) 9000 -0.01
Financial Times 6311 -4.98
London Evening Standard Digital Publication 4604 -7.81
Daily Mail 2748 -4.48
Birmingham Mail 2728 34.78
i 2086 -12.94
The Mail on Sunday 1964 -0.25

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