March ABCs: Grim month sees year-on-year fall for all quality dailies

A grim month for quality daily newspapers saw large across-the-board year-on-year circulation falls in March, although the comparisons with February were less dramatic. The Times, which a year ago was still selling more than 600,000 copies, is now hovering just over the half-million mark at 502,436. The Guardian's headline circulation figure is now 283,063 and the Daily Telegraph 686,679. All these papers have stripped bulks from their circulation figures, while the Independent has increased its bulk distribution and now has a headline figure of 184,137. The Guardian – which, like MediaGuardian.co.uk, is published by Guardian News & Media – has also significantly reduced overseas distribution, from 37,947 last March to 19,413. The Daily Telegraph Headline circulation: 686,679 Month-on-month change: +0.22% Year-on-year change: -10.21% Full price circulation: 309,977 (45% of total) Subscription: 328,295 Overseas: 44,408 The Times Headline circulation: 502,436 Monthly: -0.52% Yearly: -16.29% Full price circulation: 347,132 (69% of total) Subscription: 120,741 Overseas: 22,908 The Financial Times Headline circulation: 401,286 Monthly: +2.84% Yearly: -6.41% Full rate UK circulation: 62,612 (15% of total) UK subscription: 13,743 Overseas: 286,432 UK bulks: 31,269 The Guardian Headline circulation: 283,063 Monthly: -0.51% Yearly: -16.98% Full rate circulation: 217,133 (76% of total) Subscription: 34,530 Overseas: 19,413 The Independent Headline circulation: 184,137 Monthly: +0.32% Yearly: -10.31% Full rate circulation: 88,976 (48% of total) Subscription: 4,798 Overseas: 32,588 UK bulks: 53,742 Headline circulation includes subscriptions, bulks – copies sold to airlines, rail companies, hotels and gyms for a nominal fee and given free to the public – and distribution in Ireland and overseas • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".