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February 16, 2017updated 17 Feb 2017 8:22am

National newspaper print ABCs for Jan 2017: Times and Observer both boost print sales year on year

By Dominic Ponsford

The Observer and The Times were the only UK national newspapers to grow their paid-for print sales year on year in January.

The Observer rose 1.4 per cent to 185,752 and paid-for sales of The Times rose 3.8 per cent year on year to 379,861.

The Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph all increased their circulations with the help extra free bulk copies distributed at places like hotels and airports.

Even without the help of the free bulk copies, the upmarket ‘broadsheet’ end of the newspaper market is out-performing the faster declining tabloids.

The Times is now just 21,000 copies behind the Daily Telegraph. In terms of paid-for print sales the gap is more like 60,000.

The Sun put in the best overall month on month performance, up 3.4 per cent compared with the slower month of December, helped by the popular annual £9.50 holidays promotion.

The Sunday Mirror was the biggest faller, dropping 16 per cent year on year to an average circulation of 629,277. At £1.40 it is 50p more expensive than the Daily Star Sunday and 40p more than The Sun on Sunday.

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There was better news online with every newspaper except the Telegraph up year on year in January.

Note: This story was corrected on 17 February at 8am. An earlier version said The Observer was the only paid-for circulation riser.

UK national newspaper print circulations for January ABC (source: ABC)

Title Jan-17 MoM% YoY% Bulks
The Sun 1,666,715 3.43 -6.74 97,766
Daily Mail 1,511,357 1.35 -4.91 66,684
Metro (free) 1,476,956 0.1 9.56
The Sun on Sunday 1,375,539 -0.54 -7.51 95,704
The Mail on Sunday 1,257,984 -2.04 -9.37 54,132
London Evening Standard (free) 887,253 4.64 -1.24
The Sunday Times 792,324 0.01 2.85 83,237
Daily Mirror 724,888 1.11 -10.41 34,000
Sunday Mirror 629,277 1.36 -15.99 34,000
The Daily Telegraph 472,258 2.65 0.05 41,868
The Times 451,261 1.14 11.66 79,790
Daily Star 443,452 0.68 -5.72
Daily Express 392,526 0.23 -3.96
The Sunday Telegraph 359,400 0.03 1.23 30,215
Sunday Express 335,772 0.15 -9.17
i 266,768 1.02 -1.87 56,284
Daily Star – Sunday 256,801 -0.38 -14.16
Sunday People 240,846 0.62 -13.93 7,000
Financial Times 188,924 -2.22 -4.7 20,802
The Observer 185,752 1.98 1.39
Sunday Mail 168,164 -2.52 -13.84
The Guardian 156,756 -2.69 -4.51
Daily Record 155,772 -2.98 -11.94
Sunday Post 143,169 0.21 -12.19
City AM (free) 90,319 -0.65 -7.14

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