Only Daily Star shines year on year in latest ABCs

Newspapers saw some New Year cheer in January with several newspapers, including The Sun and Mail on Sunday, bouncing back after a bleak December, although longer term trends remain precarious, according to the latest ABC figures.

Blanket coverage of the fractious relationship between Peter André and ex-wife Jordan and associated developments in Celebrity Big Brother must have helped the daily and Sunday tabloids.

The Sun posted an average net circulation jump of more than 5% to 3,006,565 for January on December but a 1.88% drop for the six months August to January 2010, compared with the same period a year ago.

The Mirror posted a 0.58% drop for January on December to 1,218,425 and a 9.42% drop for the six month period, year on year. The Daily Star, still at a competitive price, was the only title, along with its Sunday edition, to post a year on year rise. It dropped 0.71% to 779,376 month on month but was up 13.9% for the six months August to January.

The Sunday quality titles continue to find it tough going. Year on year comparisons of the headline figures for some newspapers are still affected by the decision to strip out bulks but the sector was still down a hefty 8.92% overall.

The Guardian, which published a series of promotional poetry books in January, managed a circulation rise of 0.58% to 302,285 month on month but is down 11.69% year on year.

The Independent, which is still the subject of ownership negotiations with Alexander Lebedev, posted a circulation drop of 0.6% month on month to 185,815, down 11.63% year on year. The Daily Telegraph saw a fall of 1.72% to 691,128 in January and is down 6.77% year on year. The Times, which upped its price to one pound recently, posted a circulation drop of 1.72% to 691,128 and is down 6.77% year on year.

The Financial Times which put a campaign behind its Davos coverage at the end of the month, posted a circulation fall of 2.62%, to 390,315 month on month and is down 6.87% year on year.

In the mid-market the Daily Mail saw a rise of 0.34% month on month to 2,120,347 but is down 2.02% for the six months July to August, year on year. The Daily Express posted a 0.46% drop to 674,640 month on month and is down 5.96% year on year.

As mentioned, the News of the World had a good January, up 6.9% month on month to 2,984,469, but still has not posted above 3m since October. It is down 4.01% year on year. The Sunday Mirror rose 1.02% to 1,124,260 and is down 7.21% year on year while the Daily Star Sunday rose 1.58% month on month to 358,814 and 1.46% year on year.

The Mail on Sunday, which had a design and editorial overhaul on January 10, posted a 2.38% rise to 2,048,008 for January on December but is down 5.17% year on year. The Sunday Express dropped. 0.94% month on month to 585,023 and is down 7.2% year on year.

The Sunday quality market remains moribund with The Observer, about to relaunch on 21 February, posting a circulation jump of 1.01% to 354,565 but down 15.92% year on year. The Sunday Telegraph saw a circulation rise of 0.51% to 527,742 and is down 5.73% year on year. The Sunday Times rose 2.85% month on month to 1,144,929 but is down 2.48% year on year.

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