NI plots 10p Times push on Thursdays

News International is expected to move its 10p Monday price promotion to Thursday when the promotion ends in September.

A 10p Times on a Thursday would move the attack on The Daily Telegraph from sports coverage to job hunters. The Daily Telegraph’s Thursday circulation is about 40,000 higher than the rest of the week because of its appointments section.

The Times launched its Monday 10p price promotion to coincide with expanded coverage of Euro 96. Sunday night TV airtime for the Monday promotion has been booked by NI until the end of September.

The Monday price cut has allowed The Times to increase its circulation from 676,422 in May to 753,784 in the July ABC figures. Sources estimate Monday sales may be as high as 950,000 copies.

However, The Telegraph claims The Times’ rise is due to multiple purchases and that its own and rivals’ circulations have fallen only slightly.