ABC of winter blues

IN a month that highlighted the continuing level of national and international interest in the Scottish press, the form of the main players changed very little, according to the latest set of Audit Bureau of Circulations figures.

Among the dailies The Scotsman showed no sign of being able to regain lost ground as it recorded a 6.15% drop year on year in November. The Edinburgh title had an average net circulation of 74,337 compared to 79,201 in November 2001.

Its Glasgow-based rival, however, proved more resilient and recorded only a slight 1.13% drop in sales between 2001 and 2002. It has fallen from 91,227 to 90,200, according to SMG's internally audited figures.

Among the tabloids the Daily Record also lost ground (with a 8.99% drop) to The Sun, which increased its sales.

The Sunday market offered an alternative picture with the Sunday Herald increasing its year-on-year November sales by 8.5%. According to internally audited figures it sold an average of 54,874 in 2001 and 59,541 in November 2002.

Scotland on Sunday, by comparison, recorded a 8.85% drop. Average net sales in 2001 were 89,222. This figure has fallen to 81,288 in 2002. In Scotland where the paper now sells only 76,024, it can not compete with The Sunday Times which sells 84,149.

The Sunday Mail, with a circulation of 590,244, still remains Scotland's biggest-selling paper on a Sunday.

Copyright 2002 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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