The Abcs

The Guardian, which relaunches today in a Berliner format, had an August ABC of 341,698, its lowest sale since 1978. Last month's figure was partly the result of a reduction in bulk sales, possibly to help the re-launched paper to enjoy comparatively successful figures. The Observer, its sister paper, also fared badly, slipping to its lowest sale in five years at 425,737.

Circulations were sluggish across the market because August is traditionally the silly season.

The Independent picked up a 0.1 per cent month-on-month lift but was down 2.5 per cent year-on-year. Approaching the second anniversary of its relaunch, its sale of 255,906 is 38,000 up on two years ago.

August's star performer was The Sunday Times, which was up 1.4 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively. The Times is up 5 per cent year-on-year, having still been in broadsheet format for its key Saturday edition in August 2004.

Martin Newland's Daily Telegraph has managed to maintain a sale of above 900,000 by increasing bulk sales by 32 per cent year-on-year, a reversal of the bulk-stripping policy employed by the former editor Charles Moore. The Telegraph's UK newstrade circulation (not including bulks and foreign sales) was 805,680, some 20,000 down on the same period last year.