Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

No reflected glory for the new-look 'Mirror' as 'Sun' continues to shine

Tim Luckhurst
Sunday 11 May 2008 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

When the Daily Mirror unveiled its new look on 2 April, editor Richard Wallace said he did not want to unsettle readers. The jury is out on whether he achieved that modest ambition. The Mirror's circulation fell in April, continuing a decline that has marooned it below 1.5 million sales, less than half the circulation of its main rival, Rupert Murdoch's Sun, for which price-cutting continues to work magic. The Sun's circulation rose slightly in April and is up 2.8 per cent since last year.

If new typefaces and support for Gordon Brown failed to inspire Mirror readers, front page apologies to the McCann family did still less for the Daily Express. Its circulation declined by 0.63 per cent in a month and by 4.3 per cent on the year. Its Sunday sister fared worse. Their bitter rivals, Associated Newspapers' Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, recorded month-on-month increases, the Mail despite a 5p cover price rise to 50p.

Financial and political crises at home and abroad did not boost the fortunes of quality morning dailies. Every broadsheet, including the Financial Times, declined monthly and annually. Almost the same was true among quality Sunday titles. The Independent on Sunday managed a monthly rise of 1.67 per cent, but The Observer's recent feats of gravity defiance are over.

Scotland's constitutional future is making news, but the Herald and Sunday Herald in Glasgow and The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday in Edinburgh are in deep trouble, demonstrating the futility of pursuing national ambitions with local newspaper budgets.

The London Evening Standard got its man elected, but support for Boris Johnson did not inflate April sales, although annual performance remains good. Success in the capital went to the free titles, with City AM, London Lite, Metro and thelondonpaper all posting distribution increases.

Tim Luckhurst is Professor of Journalism at the University of Kent

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in