More sales, more success

THE LATEST monthly circulation figures for national newspapers, published yesterday, show that The Independent, alone among broadsheet newspapers, has registered a rise on the same period last year.

The Independent's daily circulation for February is 220,203, rising from 219,549 in January and an increase of 1.7 per cent on February 1998. The same year-on-year comparison shows The Times down 6.9 per cent, The Daily Telegraph down 2.5 per cent and The Guardian down 1 per cent.

The Independent on Sunday's February figure of 252,105 also shows a year-on-year rise of 1.8 per cent.

This is the first time in three years (excluding the period covering the death of Diana, Princess of Wales) that The Independent has shown year-on-year circulation gains, and comes at a time of unprecedented success for the paper's journalists. Last month, the What the Papers Say awards named Simon Kelner, editor of The Independent, as Editor of the Year and David McKittrick, our Ireland correspondent, as Correspondent of the Year. In addition, The Independent and The Independent on Sunday have been shortlisted in 10 categories in the forthcoming British Press Awards, while McKittrick and Robert Fisk, our Middle East correspondent, have also been shortlisted for the prestigious Orwell prize for outstanding journalism.

Our circulation gains have reflected the investment made in both papers by Independent Newspapers (UK) since it acquired the titles exactly a year ago. The addition of a new sports section every Monday and a business review supplement on Wednesdays illustrates the paper's commitment to a continuing programme of expansion and improvement.

We would like to thank readers for their continuing support.