ABCs: The Times slips below 500,000 for first time in 16 years

The Times's circulation fell below 500,000 last month for the first time since April 1994, during its price war with the Daily Telegraph. All of the quality daily newspapers suffered circulation falls in August, a traditionally bad month for newspapers, according to figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations today. The newspapers which have cut bulks and/or overseas circulations were the biggest fallers: the Daily Telegraph was down 17.33% year on year, the Times fell 14.23% year on year and the Guardian was down 12.61% year on year. The Guardian distributed 17,000 fewer overseas copies compared with August 2009, while the Times and Daily Telegraph's year-on-year comparisons are adversely affected by their dropping of bulks. The Daily Telegraph Headline circulation: 673,010 Month-on-month change: -0.79% Year-on-year change: -17.33% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 629,011 (93.4% of total) Overseas: 43,999 The Times Headline circulation: 494,205 Month-on-month change: -1.67% Year-on-year change: -14.23% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 444,065 (89.8% of total) Overseas: 50,140 Financial Times Headline circulation: 376,564 Month-on-month change: -0.51% Year-on-year change: -4.87% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 72,611 (19.3% of total) Overseas: 271,151 The Guardian Headline circulation: 272,112 Month-on-month change: -1.85% Year-on-year change: -12.61% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 248,032 (91.2% of total) Overseas: 24,080 The Independent Headline circulation: 182,416 Month-on-month change: -0.85% Year-on-year change: -2.89% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 95,783 (52.5% of total) Overseas: 23,759 Headline circulation includes lesser rate sales, 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. UK and Ireland paid for circulation excludes bulks and overseas distribution