Independent journalism bucks the trend in print sales

Paid-for sales of The Independent's journalism have reached their highest point in 16 years, according to latest figures compiled by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).

The combined paid-for sales of the The Independent print edition and its sister title i grew to 269,255 in January, the biggest circulation of The Independent's content since March 1996, ten years after the newspaper was founded.

Sales of the i newspaper have risen sharply, with paid for circulation climbing to 196,176 in January, representing a 15 per cent increase on the previous month and 56 per cent growth year-on-year. The figures buck industry trends at a time when the sales of most newspaper titles are in decline.

The total circulation of i has reached 243,321 as the publisher of the two papers, Independent Print Limited, pursues a change in its bulk distribution policy to provide copies of the i, instead of The Independent, to airlines and other outlets.