More sales success for the compact with impact

Alone among quality national daily newspapers in Britain, The Independent recorded a rise in circulation last month, its audited sales figure for August increasing to 255,906 copies a day.

This month sees the second anniversary of The Independent's decision to go compact, a change of shape that has not only helped this paper gain nearly 40,000 sales every day, but also revolutionised the newspaper industry around the world. Fifty-five broadsheet newspapers - from Berlin to Kuala Lumpur and from Amsterdam to Casablanca - have followed The Independent's lead and changed to the compact shape.

Since August two years ago The Independent's sale has grown by 18 per cent. In the same period, The Guardian's has fallen by 10.2 per cent. Its August figure of 341,698 represents its lowest for 27 years, a month-on-month fall of 16,000 a day, or nearly 5 per cent.

The Independent, through its eloquent opposition to the Iraq war, through its vocal crusade to reform our electoral system, through its campaigning coverage of environmental issues, through the quality, independence and diversity of its journalism, and through the power and impact of its revolutionary front pages, is acknowledged as one of great liberal newspapers of the world. The Independent is the current Newspaper of the Year in the What the Papers Say Awards.

The depth and eclecticism of our commentators and columnists is unrivalled, from Robert Fisk, the most celebrated foreign reporter of his generation, to Tracey Emin, the first lady of Britart; from Hamish McRae, one of the world's most respected economic commentators, to Bridget Jones, whose v.g. diary is on Thursdays.

For news with attitude, comment with wit and bite, and truly independent journalism from across the political spectrum (not forgetting four sudoku puzzles every weekday), The Independent is the compact with impact. We would like to thank our readers for their continuing support. From the quality and range of opinion on show on our letters page, it's clear that you are just as independent as we are. This is, after all, your newspaper.