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National Newspapers - UK - February 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Print circulation sees further decline while online growth continues
Controversy over fake news calls into question the role of social media
Section 40 causes concern as press regulation battle continues
Brexit vote boosts print circulation
Ad blockers further threaten advertising revenue
Key players
The Independent becomes first national newspaper to focus solely on digital
The Telegraph replaces metered paywall with new premium subscription service
The consumer
Only one in four regularly purchases a print newspaper
Figure 1: Print newspaper purchases, October 2016
A smartphone is the most popular device for reading news
Figure 2: Devices used to read national news, October 2016
The BBC dominates online news
Figure 3: National news websites/apps visited, October 2016
Many are reading directly on news reader app/websites
Figure 4: National newspaper behaviour, October 2016
Readers of quality newspapers more likely to feel current newspaper journalism is worth paying for
Figure 5: Attitudes towards online national newspapers, October 2016
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Ad blockers and aggregators threaten advertising revenue
The facts
The implications
Fake news controversy opens door for newspapers to re-establish authority
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Print circulation sees further decline while online growth continues
Controversy over fake news calls into question the role of social media
Section 40 causes concern as press regulation battle continues
Brexit vote boosts print circulation
Cover prices rise further
New news aggregators produce mixed results for publishers
Ad blockers further threaten advertising revenue
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Print circulation sees further 5% decline
Figure 6: Trends in total UK annual print circulation, 2011-21
Figure 7: Trends in total UK annual print circulation, 2011-21
The number of online browsers continues to grow
Figure 8: Trends in selected national newspaper website visits*, 2012-16
MARKET DRIVERS
Further growth in mobile device ownership
Figure 9: Personal ownership of consumer technology products, September 2015 and 2016
Cover prices rise further
Figure 10: Basic UK cover prices for national newspapers, January 2016 and December 2016
Controversy over fake news calls into question the role of social media
Ad blockers further threaten advertising revenue
Section 40 causes press concerns as press regulation battle continues
Brexit vote boosts print circulation
New news aggregators produce mixed results for publishers
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Times increases print circulation
The Mail Online is most popular national newspaper website
The Independent becomes first national newspaper to focus solely on digital
The Telegraph replaces metered paywall with new premium subscription service
The UK’s first ever pop-up newspaper launches after referendum
The Telegraph launches new video portal
The Mail explores ecommerce further
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
The Independent becomes the first national title to focus solely on digital
The Telegraph replaces metered paywall with new premium subscription service
The Telegraph launches new video portal
The Guardian focuses on branded content with ‘Hosted by’
The Mail explores ecommerce further
The FT launches new analytics tool for journalists
Advertising campaigns remind people of the importance of national newspapers
The UK’s first ever pop-up newspaper launches after referendum
MARKET SHARE
All newspaper segments see decline in circulation
Figure 11: Daily national newspapers’ average print circulation per issue, 2015 and 2016
Popular Sunday titles see worst declines
Figure 12: Sunday national newspapers’ average print circulation per issue, 2015 and 2016
The Mail Online is by far the most popular newspaper website
Figure 13: Average daily unique visits to national newspaper websites, 2015 and 2016
The Guardian and Mail Online lead the way on social media
Figure 14: Social media presence of select major UK newspapers, 2016 and 2017
BRAND RESEARCH
Brand map
Figure 15: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, January 2017
Key brand metrics
Figure 16: Key metrics for selected brands, January 2017
Brand attitudes: quality newspapers’ reputations drive an increased willingness to pay
Figure 17: Attitudes, by brand, January 2017
Brand personality: The Guardian is viewed as the most ethical
Figure 18: Brand personality – Macro image, January 2017
Popular newspapers are considered low-brow
Figure 19: Brand personality – Micro image, January 2017
Brand analysis
The Guardian has high levels of trust
Figure 20: User profile of The Guardian, January 2017
The Financial Times has a strong identity
Figure 21: User profile of Financial Times, January 2017
The Times lags only behind the Guardian on trust
Figure 22: User profile of The Times, January 2017
The Daily Telegraph trails other qualities on differentiation
Figure 23: User profile of The Daily Telegraph, January 2017
The Daily Mail is considered relatable
Figure 24: User profile of Daily Mail, January 2017
The Daily Express struggles to stand out
Figure 25: User profile of Daily Express, January 2017
The Daily Mirror scores well on accessibility and value but doesn’t make as strong an impression as rivals
Figure 26: User profile of Daily Mirror, January 2017
The Sun divides opinion
Figure 27: User profile of The Sun, January 2017
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Only one in four regularly purchases a print newspaper
A smartphone is the most popular device for reading news
The BBC dominates online news
Many have read news directly on an aggregator website/app
One in five has used an ad blocker
There is limited trust in online national news
Many find text news preferable to video
Younger people are more interested in VR news
PRINT NEWSPAPER PURCHASES
Only one in four regularly purchases a print newspaper
Figure 28: Print newspapers purchases, October 2016
Major events encourage people to buy newspapers
Figure 29: Print newspaper purchases, by age, October 2016
DEVICES USED TO READ NATIONAL NEWS
A smartphone is the most popular device for reading news
Figure 30: Devices used to read national news, October 2016
Readership via smartphone peaks among 25-34s
Figure 31: Devices used to read national news, by age, October 2016
NATIONAL NEWS WEBSITES/APPS VISITED
The BBC dominates online news
The Guardian is the most popular online national newspaper
Figure 32: National news websites/apps visited, October 2016
Two out of five only use one source
Figure 33: Repertoire of national news websites/apps visited, October 2016
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER BEHAVIOUR
Many are reading directly on news reader app/websites
The Sun launches new edition on Snapchat
Figure 34: National newspaper behaviour, October 2016
Social media plays an important role for younger people
Figure 35: Social media behaviour, by age, October 2016
One in five has used an ad blocker on an online newspaper
ATTITUDES TOWARDS ONLINE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
Newspapers need to strike the right balance with video content
Figure 36: Attitudes towards online national newspapers, October 2016
Only some feel current national newspaper journalism is worth paying for
There is limited trust in online news websites/apps
Younger people are more likely to prefer editorial judgement to algorithms
Figure 37: Agree with statement ‘Having the stories ‘selected’ for me by editors/journalists is better than by an automatic system based on previous reads, what friends are viewing etc’, by age, October 2016
Younger people are more interested in VR news
Figure 38: Agree with statement ‘watching stories using virtual reality technology appeals to me’, by age, October 2016
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Forecast
Figure 39: Trends in total UK newspaper circulation, 2016-21
Forecast Methodology

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