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The National Newsquest

The National's circulation slumps below 20,000 issues but publisher predicts general election resurgence

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

January 27, 2015 | 2 min read

Sales of Scotland’s pro-independence newspaper the National have fallen below 20,000 a day as the post-referendum buzz which birthed it goes into hibernation with publisher Newsquest adamant sales will surge in the run up to the 2015 general election.

Daily circulation of the print edition of the National, priced at 50p, has slumped to under 20,000 issues from its exceptional launch week which saw it move a high of 100,000 copies.

The title, which is two months old following its launch on 24 November, is shifting on average fifteen thousand issues copies from newsagents and retailers, bolstered by more than 2,500 additional weekly subscribers.

Tim Blott, regional managing director at the National's owner Newsquest, told the Guardian: "It went into a seasonal lull in terms of circulations, sales dropped below 20,000 but we are still well ahead of my original expectations of the paper. The model still works and it is still making money."

Blott predicts a resurgence in interest for the title with the 2015 general election on the horizon, he said: "We still see a lot of potential in the paper, particularly in the run-up to the UK election and the importance of the Scottish vote… as the campaign builds people will take more and more interest in the outcome of the UK general election we would expect that to flow through to sales."

He asserted that the title will see a return to earlier figures as “Scotland has become more politically engaged because of the referendum”

Despite the slowdown, the National has seen advertising volumes increase.

The National Newsquest

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