Scandal sells – and that was certainly the case for the Sunday Herald last month as its circulation was boosted 9.2% compared to the previous month. The Scottish newspaper reaped the reward of being the first national title to name Ryan Giggs as the footballer who took out a superinjunction to prevent his affair from becoming public.
According to the latest ABC figures for May, the newspaper achieved the highest monthly circulation increase of all titles in both the daily and Sunday market.
It published a full-page picture of the Manchester United player, who had taken a gagging order out in England, after taking legal advice that the order did not apply in Scotland.
However, the footballer’s antics failed to match up to the sales boost experienced by nearly all national newspapers in May 2010 when the General Election took place, so every title – in both the daily and Sunday markets – lost sales year on year.
Full ABC figures for May 2011
compiled for Retail Newsagent’s 17th june edition
| TITLE | Core sales* | Monthly change (%) | Yearly change (%) | Estimated Retailer Margin (£)** | Total sales*** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 8,989,522 | -0.50% | -4.30% | 1,174.50 | 9,864,039 |
| Daily Express | 597564 | -1.20 | -5.00 | 69.1 | 631588 |
| Daily Mail | 1829636 | -3.00 | -2.30 | 236.7 | 2056881 |
| Daily Mirror | 1120699 | -1.50 | -5.60 | 128.4 | 1168664 |
| Daily Record | 295713 | -0.80 | -5.50 | 37.1 | 311540 |
| Daily Star | 682682 | 0.90 | -15.00 | 55.1 | 702044 |
| Daily Telegraph | 609829 | -0.90 | -6.40 | 162.3 | 635967 |
| Financial Times | 74789 | 2.20 | -10.60 | 34.5 | 362685 |
| Guardian | 243840 | -1.20 | -12.40 | 69 | 262937 |
| Herald | 50435 | 1.30 | -8.20 | 11.1 | 50435 |
| i | 159297 | 3.90 | 6.6 | 167067 | |
| Independent | 81843 | -1.70 | -24.00 | 20.3 | 179371 |
| Scotsman | 37800 | 1.90 | -9.00 | 8.6 | 41271 |
| The Sun | 2781794 | 1.50 | -3.40 | 222.5 | 2846905 |
| Times | 423601 | -1.50 | -12.80 | 113.1 | 446684 |
Full ABC figures for May 2011
compiled for Retail Newsagent’s 17th June edition
| TITLE | Core sales* | Monthly change (%) | Yearly change (%) | Estimated Retailer Margin (£)** | Total sales*** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 9,159,809 | -1.10% | -5.90% | 2,752.20 | 9,740,805 |
| Daily Star Sun. | 291203 | -2.10 | -15.00 | 61.10 | 305984 |
| Ind. on Sunday | 70575 | -4.40 | -14.50 | 31.80 | 151212 |
| Mail on Sunday | 1697445 | -1.90 | -0.90 | 534.70 | 1918751 |
| News of World | 2593010 | 1.30 | -7.10 | 567.40 | 2657232 |
| Observer | 275337 | -4.30 | -13.70 | 137.70 | 293053 |
| People | 457652 | -1.40 | -8.50 | 100.10 | 481224 |
| Scotland on Sun. | 54257 | 7.20 | -0.40 | 23.10 | 54260 |
| Sun. Telegraph | 462167 | -6.40 | -4.50 | 199.80 | 480438 |
| Sunday Express | 527961 | -7.30 | -0.70 | 151.00 | 563397 |
| Sunday Herald | 32292 | 9.20 | -23.60 | 9.90 | 32292 |
| Sunday Mail | 344917 | -1.70 | -7.50 | 106.20 | 361960 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1047158 | -2.10 | -5.40 | 231.30 | 1086961 |
| Sunday Post | 303975 | -1.90 | -7.20 | 80.20 | 304442 |
| Sunday Times | 1001860 | 2.50 | -5.90 | 518.00 | 1049599 |
* Core sales are newstrade sales and pre-paid subscriptions in the UK & Ireland.
** ERM is the total income to retailers for one day’s sales, calculated using margin statistics.
*** Total sales includes foreign and bulk sales.
