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September 17, 2018updated 18 Sep 2018 2:19pm

Sun remains most-read UK newsbrand as new Pamco data shows Guardian and Observer most trusted

By Charlotte Tobitt

The Sun remains the most read newsbrand in the UK as new data shows the Guardian and Observer are the most trusted national newspapers by their readers.

The Sun, the UK’s best-selling newspaper, has the highest “total brand reach” at 31.4m monthly readers (including the Sun on Sunday), although this represents a drop from its combined print and digital reach of 33.3m since last quarter’s figures.

The data was released today by the Published Audience Measurement Company, which replaced the National Readership Survey this year and is able to offer publishers greater insight into their digital audiences across all platforms.

See full Pamco figures showing newsbrands’ total monthly reach and trust below

The Sun dominates on mobile with a monthly reach of 22.2m readers to its websites and apps.

The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday remain close behind the Sun with a total brand reach of 28.9m, although this has also dropped, from 31.2m, since the last quarter.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, publisher of the Mail and Metro titles, said its cross-platform family of newsbrands reach the most adults on a monthly basis (33.5m).

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They added that DMG’s combined print titles reach the most adults on a daily (5.9m), weekly (11.7m) and monthly (16.1m) basis.

Dominic Williams, executive director for advertising at Mail Metro Media said the data “clearly demonstrates the great power of the Mail and Metro brands”.

The Guardian has the biggest desktop monthly reach of 7.8m, while the Mail titles lead on tablet with 4.1m readers a month.

Today Pamco has also released for the first time data showing the level of trust in each of the national newspapers in print and online, based on 35,000 face-to-face interviews conducted each year by Ipsos Mori.

Of the national daily print newspapers, 89 per cent of people who said they read the Guardian trust what they read in the title, followed by 84 per cent who trust the i.

The Observer was the most trusted Sunday paper (89 per cent) while the Daily Star Sunday and the Sun on Sunday were the least trusted print newspapers (48 and 49 per cent respectively).

The Guardian and the i were also the most trusted digital newsbrands by their visitors, on 84 per cent and 83 per cent respectively, followed by the Independent and the Times (82 per cent and 81 per cent).

The Sun was the least trusted national newsbrand online (39 per cent) followed by Mail Online, trusted by 46 per cent of its readers.

Online, Johnston Press-owned Yorkshire Post came top when its readers were asked whether they feel a close connection to the title (79 per cent agreed), and The Scotsman scored best when its readers were asked if it offers them something they cannot get elsewhere (84 per cent).

Overall, an average of 91 per cent of online media brand readers – including newspapers and magazines – said reading their chosen publication was “time well spent”, while 81 per cent said they trust what they see on these sites.

Seventy per cent feel a close connection to their chosen online publication, while 68 per cent believe it offers them something they can’t get elsewhere.

Although just 66 per cent of online newsbrand readers surveyed said they trust what they read, 88 per cent still said it was time well spent.

Pamco said publishers should be “reassured” by these figures.

Simon Redican, chief executive of Pamco said: “Our new engagement metrics show the high levels of trust readers place in established media brands and despite the proliferation of content available to consumers, that they still place great value in curated content from trusted brands.

“This, together with recently published findings from other industry bodies, demonstrates that quality of content delivers true value for both readers and advertisers.”

Pamco monthly reach for July 2017 to June 2018 (in 000s and including Comscore data from May) for UK newsbrands:

Newsbrand Total Brand Reach Phone (mobile) Tablet Desktop Print
The Sun + The Sun on Sunday 31,345 22,227 4,017 4,052 8,968
Daily Mail + Mail on Sunday 28,925 18,058 4,107 5,258 8,280
Telegraph + Sunday Telegraph 25,177 16,668 3,807 6,127 3,649
Guardian + The Observer 24,557 15,994 3,153 7,763 3,986
Daily Mirror + Sunday Mirror + Sunday People 22,323 15,292 2,224 2,878 4,899
The Independent 22,032 16,877 2,538 4,916 0
Metro 19,317 9,880 1,418 2,086 10,024
Daily Express + Sunday Express 16,598 8,238 2,840 4,711 2,558
Evening Standard 14,172 9,023 1,341 2,106 4,660
The Times + Sunday Times 8,061 2,702 571 977 5,082
Daily Star + Daily Star Sunday 6,839 2,960 848 1,545 2,074
Daily Record + Sunday Mail 4,949 3,437 428 520 1,013
The i 3,608 1,760 219 425 1,568
The Scotsman + Scotland on Sunday 2,123 1,283 264 427 309
The Herald + Sunday Herald 1,317 698 172 229 328
Yorkshire Post 1,202 639 122 209 290
The Courier – Dundee 643 297 69 121 218
Sunday Post 636 97 26 22 500
The Press and Journal 564 201 63 116 221

Most trusted national UK newsbrands – online and print (via Pamco):

I trust what I see
Online newsbrand Net agree Net disagree
Guardian 84% 16%
i 83% 17%
Independent 82% 18%
Times 81% 19%
Scotsman 79% 21%
Yorkshire Post 78% 22%
Telegraph 73% 27%
Herald 72% 28%
Evening Standard 68% 32%
Metro 64% 36%
Express 57% 43%
Record 52% 48%
Star 51% 49%
Mirror 49% 51%
Mail 46% 54%
Sun 39% 61%
I trust what I read
Print newspaper Net agree Net disagree
The Guardian 6 day 89% 11%
The Observer 89% 11%
Yorkshire Post 6 day 88% 11%
The Courier – Dundee 6 day 85% 15%
i 6 day 84% 15%
The Press and Journal 6 day 82% 18%
The Times 6 day 82% 18%
The Herald (Scotland) 6 day 81% 20%
The Sunday Times 81% 19%
Sunday Post (Scotland) 77% 22%
The Daily Telegraph 6 day 77% 23%
The Sunday Telegraph 76% 23%
The Scotsman 6 day 71% 29%
Scotland on Sunday 69% 5%
Metro 67% 32%
Sunday Express 66% 34%
Daily Express 6 day 66% 34%
London Evening Standard 64% 35%
Sunday Herald (Scotland) 61% 16%
Daily Mirror 6 day 60% 40%
Daily Mail 6 day 59% 40%
Sunday Mirror 59% 41%
Sunday Mail (Scotland) 58% 41%
The Mail on Sunday 58% 42%
Daily Star 6 day 56% 43%
Daily Record 6 day 52% 48%
Sunday People 50% 50%
The Sun on Sunday 49% 50%
Daily Star Sunday 48% 51%
The Sun 6 day 48% 52%

Picture: Reuters/Toby Melville

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