Daily Mirror circulation slides towards 1m mark

The shake up at Trinity Mirror to move the Daily and Sunday Mirror newspapers to a seven day production operation cannot come soon enough for the flagship title, given the latest ABC circulation figures.

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The Daily Mirror’s circulation fell 6.18% for the six month period November 2011 to May 2012, year-on-year; while it was down 0.35% in May on April to 1,080,544, its lowest figure this year. This brings the title closer to a dip below the psychologically important 1 million mark.

The restructure to a seven day operation for the Daily and Sunday Mirror titles should save money, which the publisher may reinvest in marketing and editorial for their papers.

The circulation data for the Sunday Mirror and The People is more buoyant and comparatives are still benefiting from the axeing of the News of the World last year, despite the arrival of the Sun on Sunday from News International.

The Sunday Mirror’s circulation rose 0.54% month-on-month to 1,094,265, and is up 27.5% for the six month period, year-on-year, while The People is pretty flat month-on-month and up 23.38% year-on-year.

The latest ABC figures come as Trinity Mirror chief executive Sly Bailey leaves her position six moths earlier than previously announced.

Despite popular newspapers tapping into Jubilee fever in the run up to the June long bank holiday there was no overall uplift for May, with the popular sector down 0.45% month-on-month and 8.11% for the six month period, year on year.

The Sun, which has already moved to a seven-day operation with the launch of a Sunday edition, saw average net circulation slip 0.46% month-on-month to 2,611,838, and is down 7.51% year-on-year. It is expecting to stabilise its circulation during the summer with extra editions printed for Euro 2012 and The Olympics.

The Sunday edition of The Sun continues to slump with circulation down 2.41% to 2,242,132.

Quality titles remained relatively stable in May with The Guardian, which has just changed its marketing team with the appointment of David Pemsel as chief marketing officer, rising 0.27% month-on-month. The Times rose 0.65% and The Daily Telegraph fell 0.29%.

The Independent fell 4.72% while and digest sister title the i rose 1.06%, for a combined circulation of more than 368,000.

The mid-market in May saw a reversal with the Daily Mail falling 3.02% but the Daily Express rising 5.15% month-on-month.

The Sunday market saw all quality titles fall save the Independent of Sunday and the Observer. The Mail on Sunday also posted a slight rise month-on-month.

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