Ryan Giggs affair fuels tabloid circulation jump

The UK’s tabloid titles had the last laugh over the Ryan Giggs affair superinjunction scandal, with two red tops marking a circulation rise in May.

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The popular national newspaper sector’s circulation was up 1.38% month on month in May, although it is still down 5.99% year on year, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) figures.

The Sun, which also ran a popular Lego giveaway promotion in the period, marked a circulation rise of 2.29% to 2,846,905 but is down 4.49% year on year.

The Daily Star, which ran a series of splashes and full page spreads about the alleged affair between Ryan Giggs and former Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas, was up 1.43% month on month to 702,044, but is down a substantial 12.16% year on year.

The Daily Mirror remained flat, down 0.35% month on month to 1,168,664 and is down 5.61% year on year.

April’s royal wedding-led circulation success for the national mid-market began to taper off in May, with the sector down 1.73% month on month.

The Daily Mail was down 2.07% month on month to 2,056,881 and is down 1.57% year on year. The Daily Express circulation was flat month on month but is down 6.32% year on year to 631,588.

Every English newspaper in the national quality market saw a slight month on month circulation drop, apart from the i, which recently had a TV ad banned, which was up 3.67% month on month to 167,067.

The sector was down 8.12% year on year, partly due to the comparison with the success of the blanket General Election coverage the previous May.

I’s parent title, the Independent saw a drop of 0.76% month on month to 179,371 and is down 3.37% year on year. Combined, both papers are up 1.33% month on month to 346,438.

The Times’ circulation decreased 0.69% to 446,684 and it saw a significant 11.96% drop off year on year.

The Daily Telegraph lost 0.56% of its circulation month on month, down to 635,967 and is down 8.19% year on year. The Financial Times was down 2.52% month on month to 362,685 and circulation is decreasing 4.28% year on year.

The Sunday market saw a marginal drop off in May, down 0.42% month on month.

The News of the World rose 1.95% month on month to 2,657,232 but is still down 8.06% year on year. News International’s other Sunday title, the Sunday Times also marked a month on month increase, up 3.08% to 1,049,599 and is down a similar 8.08% year on year.

The Sunday Express saw the most substantial decrease in May, down 6.36% to 563,397. Its competitor mid market Sunday title, the Mail on Sunday, was down 1.34% month on month to 1,918,751,

In the Sunday quality market, the Sunday Telegraph was down 5.71% month on month to 480,438. The Observer fell 3.27% month on month to 293,053. The Independent on Sunday dropped 1.95% month on month to 151,212.