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Twelve daily newspapers and eleven Sunday-only weekly newspapers are distributed nationally in the United Kingdom. Others circulate in Scotland only and still others serve smaller areas. National daily newspapers publish every day except Sundays and 25 December. Sunday newspapers may be independent; e.g. The Observer was an independent Sunday newspaper from its founding in 1791 until it was acquired by The Guardian in 1993, but more commonly, they have the same owners as one of the daily newspapers, usually with a related name (e.g. The Times and The Sunday Times), but are editorially distinct.

UK newspapers can generally be split into two distinct categories: the more serious and intellectual newspapers, usually referred to as the broadsheets, and sometimes known collectively as the "quality press", and others, generally known as tabloids, and collectively as the 'popular press', which have tended to focus more on celebrity coverage and human interest stories rather than political reporting or overseas news. The tabloids in turn have been divided into the more sensationalist mass market titles, or 'red tops', such as The Sun and the Daily Mirror, and the middle-market papers, the Daily Express and the Daily Mail.

Most of the broadsheets, so called because of their historically larger size, have changed in recent years to a compact format, the same size as the tabloids. The Independent and The Times were the first to do so. The Guardian moved in September 2005 to what is described as a 'Berliner' format, slightly larger than a compact. Its Sunday stablemate The Observer followed suit. Both The Guardian and The Observer now use the tabloid format, having done so since January 2018.[1] Despite these format changes, these newspapers are all still considered 'broadsheets'.

Other Sunday broadsheets, including The Sunday Times, which tend to have a large amount of supplementary sections, have kept their larger-sized format. The national Sunday titles usually have a different layout and style from their weekday sister papers, and are produced by separate journalistic and editorial staff. All the major UK newspapers currently have websites, some of which provide free access.

The Times and The Sunday Times have a paywall requiring payment on a per-day or per-month basis by non-subscribers. The Financial Times business daily also has limited access for non-subscribers. The Independent became available online only upon its last printed edition on 26 March 2016.[2] However, unlike the previously mentioned newspapers, it does not require any payment to access its news content. Instead the newspaper offers extras for those wishing to sign up to a payment subscription, such as crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, weekend supplements and the ability to automatically download each daily edition to read offline. The London Economic is another example of a British digital/online only newspaper; however, unlike The Independent it has never run a print publication.

Most towns and cities in the UK have at least one local newspaper, such as the Evening Post in Bristol and The Echo in Cardiff. Local newspapers were listed in advertising guides such as the Mitchell's Press Directories.

They are not known nationally for their journalism in the way that (despite much syndication) some city-based newspapers in the USA are (e.g. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times). An exception to this was the Manchester Guardian, which dropped the 'Manchester' from its name in 1959 and relocated its main operations to London in 1964. The Guardian Media Group produced a Mancunian paper, the Manchester Evening News, until 2010 when along with its other local newspapers in the Greater Manchester area it was sold to Trinity Mirror.

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Broadsheet and former broadsheet newspapers

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Tabloid newspapers

More information Title, Days of publication ...
Title Days of publication Circulation Established Editor Owner Political
orientation
Political party support
in the 2024 general election
The SunDaily 1,210,915[a]1964 Victoria NewtonNews Corporation Right-wing Labour Party
The Sun on SundaySundays1,013,777[a]2012None
Daily Mail Daily 745,629 1896 Ted Verity Daily Mail and General Trust plc Conservative Party
The Mail on Sunday Sundays 637,877 1982 David Dillon
Daily Express Daily 163,610 1900 Gary Jones Reach
Sunday Express Sundays 163,610 1918 Michael Booker
Daily MirrorDaily 258,043 1903 Lloyd EmbleyCentre-leftLabour Party
Sunday MirrorSundays 193,360 1915
Sunday PeopleSundays 65,460 1881 Peter Willis
Daily StarDaily 146,949 1978 Jon ClarkLargely non-politicalCount Binface
Daily Star SundaySundays 87,798 2002 Denis Mann None
Morning StarDaily N/A1930 Ben ChackoPeople's Press Printing SocietyLeft-wingNone
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Freesheet newspapers in urban centres

More information Title, Days of publication ...
Title Days of publication Circulation Format Established Editor Owner Political
orientation
Distribution Political party support
in the 2024 general election
MetroWeekdays 951,684 Tabloid1999 Ted YoungDaily Mail and General Trust plcLargely non-political[8] Wide availability in the major cities None
City A.M.Monday to Thursday

(morning)

67,6002005 Andy Silvester[9]City A.M. LtdCentre-right
London StandardWeekly 302,602 1827 Dylan JonesAlexander Lebedev
Lord Rothermere
Greater London Labour Party
The Shuttle 10,1521870 Peter JohnNewsquest Media GroupN/A Wyre Forest area of Worcestershire None
Asian Express N/A 1999 N/A Media Buzz Ltd Wide availability in the major cities
Yorkshire ReporterMonthly N/A2013Pick up Publications LtdWidely available in Leeds and its surrounding areas
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Street newspapers

More information Title, Days of publication ...
Title Days of publication Circulation Established Owner Distribution
The Big IssueWeekly 57,059 September 1991 The Big Issue UK-wide
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Major news and political magazines

More information Title, Established ...
Title Established Editor Owner Political
orientation
New Statesman1913 Jason Cowley Mike Danson Centre-left
The Spectator1828 Michael Gove Paul Marshall[10]Right-wing
Prospect1995 Alan Rusbridger Prospect Publishing LtdCentre-left
The Economist 1843 Zanny Minton Beddoes The Economist Group Centre
Tribune1937 Ronan Burtenshaw Bhaskar Sunkara Left-wing
The Week1995 Jeremy O'Grady Dennis Publishing Centre
Private Eye 1961 Ian Hislop Pressdram Ltd None
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Newspapers in England

Regional newspapers in England

Thumb
Exterior of Hampshire Chronicle office, 1999

Local newspapers in England

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Newspapers in Northern Ireland

More information Title, Market type ...
TitleMarket typePrint timePolitical alignmentFormatCirculation[34]
The Belfast TelegraphRegionalMorningBritish Unionist - LiberalCompact35,931
The Irish NewsRegionalMorningIrish NationalistCompact33,647
The News LetterRegionalMorningBritish Unionist - ConservativeTabloid13,374
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Local newspapers

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Newspapers in Scotland

Daily newspapers

More information Title, Market type ...
TitleMarket typePrint timeLocationFormatScottish circulation
The HeraldNational – QualityMorningScottishBroadsheet47,020
The ScotsmanNational – QualityMorningScottishCompact38,423
The NationalNational – Mid MarketMorningScottishCompact2,986
Daily RecordNational – TabloidMorningScottishTabloid275,175
The CourierRegionalMorningScottishCompact61,981
The Press and JournalRegionalMorningScottishCompact71,044
Greenock TelegraphLocalMorningScottishTabloid14,342
Paisley Daily ExpressLocalMorningScottishTabloid7,538
Edinburgh Evening NewsLocalEveningScottishTabloid39,947
Evening ExpressLocalEveningScottishTabloid47,849
Evening TelegraphLocalEveningScottishTabloid23,631
Evening TimesLocalEveningScottishTabloid52,400
The Daily Telegraph (Scottish edition)National – QualityMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperBroadsheet22,172
The Times (Scottish edition)National – QualityMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperCompact19,994
Scottish Daily ExpressNational – Mid MarketMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid65,689
Scottish Daily MailNational – Mid MarketMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid109,643
Daily Star of ScotlandNational – TabloidMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid65,084
Scottish Daily MirrorNational – TabloidMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid24,333
The Scottish SunNational – TabloidMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid314,595
The Financial TimesNational – QualityMorningUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandBroadsheet3,528
The GuardianNational – QualityMorningUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandBerliner14,069
iNational – QualityMorningUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandCompact12,411
Metro, Scottish EditionUrban – FreeMorningScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid125,002
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Sunday newspapers

More information Title, Market type ...
TitleMarket typeLocationFormatScottish circulation
Scotland on SundayNational – QualityScottishBroadsheet50,897
Sunday MailNational – TabloidScottishTabloid354,396
The Sunday PostNational – TabloidScottishTabloid224,471
The Sunday Times ScotlandNational – QualityScottish edition of UK NewspaperBroadsheet59,502
The Sunday Telegraph ScotlandNational – QualityScottish edition of UK NewspaperBroadsheet18,339
Mail on Sunday ScotlandNational – Mid MarketScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid105,223
Scottish Sunday ExpressNational – Mid MarketScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid35,337
Scottish Sunday MirrorNational – TabloidScottish edition of UK NewspaperTabloid21,809
The ObserverNational – QualityUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandBerliner17,880
The Independent on SundayNational – QualityUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandCompact6,317
Daily Star SundayNational – TabloidUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandTabloid26,889
The Sunday SportNational – TabloidUK Newspaper widely available in ScotlandTabloidn/a
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Newspapers in Wales

National newspapers

Regional daily newspapers

Regional newspapers

Papurau Bro

Papurau Bro ('Area Papers') are Welsh language newspapers produced nominally monthly (typically 10 issues a year with a summer break) which cover the news in a small area - a town, group of parishes, one or a few valleys, etc. - with a circulation of perhaps a few thousand each. There are between 50 and 60 Papurau Bro which cover the whole of Wales, plus the Welsh communities of Liverpool and London. Papers are frequently named after local features, connections, crafts, etc., or in dialect (clebran, clecs, clochdar, and clonc; all imply 'gossip'). The first papur bro (Y Dinesydd) appeared in 1973 in Cardiff, and the following decade saw the establishment of most of the others. Much of the work of producing the papers is done voluntarily (aside from the printing), although financial support is given by Bwrdd yr Iaith (Welsh Language Board). Some of the papers listed may have ceased publication.

  • Yr Angor (The Anchor) – Aberystwyth, Comins Coch, Llanbadarn Fawr, Penparcau and Waunfawr
  • Yr Angor – Merseyside Welsh Community
  • Yr Arwydd (The Signal) – Bodafon mountain area, Anglesey
  • Y Barcud (The Kite) – Tregaron and District, Ceredigion
  • Y Bedol (The Horseshoe) – Ruthin and District, Denbighshire
  • Y Bigwn (The Thorn) – Denbigh
  • Y Blewyn Glas (The Blue Grass) – Dyfi valley, Machynlleth, Powys
  • Y Cardi Bach (The Little Cardi) – Whitland, Carmarthenshire
  • Y Clawdd (The Dyke) – a reference to Offa's Dyke – Wrexham and District
  • Clebran (The Tattler) – Y Frenni
  • Clecs Y Cwm A'r Dref (Valley and Town Gossip) – Neath and District
  • Clochdar (Cackle) – Cynon Valley, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf
  • Clonc (Gossip) – Lampeter and District
  • Cwlwm (The Knot) – Carmarthen
  • Dail Dysynni (Leaves of the Dysynni) – Dysynni valley, Tywyn, Gwynedd
  • Y Ddolen (The Link) – Ystwyth to Wyre valleys, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
  • Y Dinesydd (The Citizen) – Cardiff and District
  • Y Dydd (The Day) – Dolgellau, Gwynedd
  • Eco'r Wyddfa (The Snowdon Echo) – Llanrug, Llanberis and Llanddeiniolen parishes, Gwynedd
  • Y Fan A'r Lle – Brecon and District
  • Y Ffynnon (The Spring)Eifionydd, Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd
  • Y Gadlas (The Barnyard) – The district between the Conwy and Clwyd valleys
  • Y Gambo (The Horse-cart) – Southwest Ceredigion
  • Y Garthen (The Coverlet) – Teifi valley, Ceredigion
  • Y Glannau (The Riverbanks) – Lower Vale of Clwyd, St Asaph.
  • Glo Mân (Small Coal) – Aman valley, Carmarthenshire[42]
  • Y Glorian (The Scales) – Top of the Rhondda valley, Tonpentre, Rhondda
  • Y Glorian – Llangefni, Anglesey
  • Goriad (The Key) – Bangor and Port Dinorwic
  • Yr Hogwr (The Sharpener) – Bridgend area
  • Llafar Bro (Area Speech) – Blaenau Ffestiniog and District, Gwynedd
  • Llais (The Voice) – Tawe valley, Swansea
  • Llais Aeron (The Voice of Aeron) – Aeron valley, Ceredigion
  • Llais Ardudwy (The Voice of Ardudwy) – Ardudwy, Gwynedd
  • Llais Ogwan (The Voice of Ogwen) – Ogwen valley, Bethesda, Gwynedd
  • Llanw Llŷn (The Flow of Llŷn (postcode area)) – Llŷn Peninsula, Pwllheli, Gwynedd
  • Lleu – Dyffryn Nantlle, Caernarfon
  • Y Llien Gwyn (The White Sheet) – Fishguard and District, Pembrokeshire
  • Y Lloffwr (The Gleaner) – Dinefwr area, Carmarthen
  • Nene – Ponciau, Penycae, Johnstown and Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham
  • Yr Odyn (The Kiln) – Conwy valley, Llanrwst, Conwy
  • Papur Fama (Moel Famau mountain Paper) – Mold and District, Flintshire
  • Papur Menai (The Menai Paper) – Menai strait east of Penmon, Anglesey
  • Papur Pawb (Everybody's Paper) – Talybont, Taliesin, Tre'r Ddol, Ceredigion
  • Papur Y Cwm (The Valley Paper) – Gwendraeth valley, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
  • Y Pentan (The Ingle-nook)Conwy Valley and estuary[43]
  • Pethe Penllyn (Penllyn Things) – five parishes of Penllyn, Bala, Gwynedd
  • Plu'r Gweunydd (Cotton Grass) – Y Foel, Llangadfan, Llanerfyl, Llanfair Caereinion, Adfa, Cefn Coch, Llwydiarth, Llangynyw, Dolanog, Rhiwhiraeth, Pontrobert, Meifod and Welshpool, Powys
  • Y Rhwyd (The Net) – North West Anglesey
  • Seren Hafren (The Star of the Severn) – Severn Valley, Newtown, Powys
  • Tafod-Elai (The Tongue of the Ely) – Taff Ely, Cardiff
  • Tafod Tafwys (The Tongue of the Thames) – for Welsh learners in London
  • Y Tincer (The Tinker) – Mouths of the Glyn, Llangorwen, Tirymynach, Tremeurig and Borth valleys, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
  • Tua'r Goleuni (Towards the Light) – Rhymney valley, Caerphilly
  • Wilia – Swansea and District
  • Yr Wylan (The Seagull) – Penrhyndeudraeth, Porthmadog, Beddgelert and District, Gwynedd
  • Yr Ysgub (The Wheatsheaf) – Ceiriog, Tanat and Cain valleys, Powys

Non-English-language newspapers

Several newspapers in languages other than English are published in Britain, for immigrant and expatriate readers. Newspapers, both national and local, in Arabic, Bulgarian, Bangla, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu, and other languages are published.[44]

More information Title, Published ...
TitlePublishedLanguageAudience
BG BenFortnightlyBulgarianBulgarian newspaper for people living in UK
Hanin HeraldWeeklyKoreanNewspaper for the Korean community in the UK and abroad
Tydzień PolskiWeeklyPolishNewspaper aimed at Britain's Polish community
CoolturaWeeklyPolishMost popular magazine for the Polish community in the UK
Goniec Polski Polish Weekly MagazineWeeklyPolishMagazine for the Polish community in the UK
Polish ExpressWeeklyPolishTabloid magazine for the Polish Community in the UK
Nowy CzasFortnightlyPolishMagazine for educated Polish people living in UK
Sing TaoDailyChineseNewspaper aimed at Britain's and Europe's Chinese community
AchievementsRussianUK's national Russian newspaper
Nuacht24DailyIrishFor the Irish speaking community of Northern Ireland and Irish immigrants
Y CymroWeeklyWelshFor the Welsh-speaking areas of Wales and Welsh immigrants
Garavi Gujarat Weekly Gujarati Newspaper for the Gujarati community in the UK established in 1968
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Specialist newspapers

For specific ethnic groups

For specific religions

Politics

Sport

  • The Cricket Paper – Friday paper summarising the week's cricketing news and action
  • The Football Paper
  • League Express – Monday paper covering all Rugby League news, results and fixtures
  • The Non-League Paper – Sunday paper summarising the weekend's non-league football action and the week's non-league football news
  • Racing +
  • Racing Post – daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper
  • The Rugby Paper – Sunday paper summarising the weekend's rugby union action and the week's rugby union news[47]
  • The Sports Journal – Friday paper looking back at the weeks sporting news[48]
  • Wisden – weekly paper covering cricket news, articles, results and fixtures & other cricket related stories

Miscellaneous special interest

Restricted circulation newspapers

Corporate newspapers

Prison newspapers

  • Inside Time – a newspaper for prisoners and detainees.

Student newspapers

Student newspapers include:[49]

National

  • Student Times – free national student newspaper
  • The Tab – national tabloid-style student news website

Regional

Defunct newspapers

See also

Notes

  1. For March 2020. For further details see List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation
  2. For December 2019. For further details see List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation
  3. Only online.

References

Further reading

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