The Mail on Sunday
Encyclopedia
The Mail on Sunday is a British conservative newspaper, currently published in a tabloid format. First published in 1982 by Lord Rothermere
, it became Britain's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper following the closing of The News of the World in July 2011. Its sister paper, the Daily Mail
was launched in 1896.
It is owned by Associated Newspapers
, but the editorial staff are entirely separate from the Daily Mail. It had an average daily circulation of 1,979,701 in September 2011. In July, 2011, with the closure of the News of the World the Mail on Sunday sold some 2.5 million copies a week but by September that had fallen back to just under 2 million.
The first story on the front page was the RAF's bombing of Port Stanley airport in the Falklands. The Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) had come up with some tough targets for the paper to produce. Initially DMGT wanted to sell a target of a circulation
of 1.25 million. But the launch of The Mail on Sunday was not a success, as by the sixth week sales were just peaking at 700,000.
The newspaper's sports coverage was seen to be among its weaknesses at the time of its launch. The Mail on Sundays first back-page splash was a report from Holland on the rollerskating world championships, which led to the paper being ridiculed in the industry.
Lord Rothermere
, then the proprietor, brought in the Daily Mails editor David English
, later Sir David who, with a task force of new journalists, redesigned and re-launched The Mail on Sunday. Over a period of three and a half months, Sir David managed to halt the decline and circulation increased to 840,000. There were three new sections introduced, first was a sponsored partwork
the initial one to be a cookery book; then a colour comic supplement (an innovation in the British Sunday newspaper market); and lastly, a magazine – You magazine. Circulation for the paper is now around 2.3 million, an increase of more than 1.5 million.
The newspaper's reputation was built on the back of its next editor, Stewart Steven. The newspaper's circulation grew from around 1m to just under 2m during his time in charge. Although its sister paper the Daily Mail has invariably supported the Conservative party, Steven backed David Owen
's Social Democratic Party
in the 1983 General Election.
The subsequent editors were Jonathan Holborow, and the incumbent, Peter Wright.
Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere
Vere Harold Esmond Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere became the 3rd Viscount Rothermere in 1978, having been widely known as Vere Harmsworth. He controlled large media interests in the United Kingdom and United States...
, it became Britain's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper following the closing of The News of the World in July 2011. Its sister paper, the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
was launched in 1896.
It is owned by Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
, but the editorial staff are entirely separate from the Daily Mail. It had an average daily circulation of 1,979,701 in September 2011. In July, 2011, with the closure of the News of the World the Mail on Sunday sold some 2.5 million copies a week but by September that had fallen back to just under 2 million.
History
The Mail on Sunday was launched on 2 May 1982, to complement the Daily Mail.The first story on the front page was the RAF's bombing of Port Stanley airport in the Falklands. The Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) had come up with some tough targets for the paper to produce. Initially DMGT wanted to sell a target of a circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
of 1.25 million. But the launch of The Mail on Sunday was not a success, as by the sixth week sales were just peaking at 700,000.
The newspaper's sports coverage was seen to be among its weaknesses at the time of its launch. The Mail on Sundays first back-page splash was a report from Holland on the rollerskating world championships, which led to the paper being ridiculed in the industry.
Lord Rothermere
Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere
Vere Harold Esmond Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere became the 3rd Viscount Rothermere in 1978, having been widely known as Vere Harmsworth. He controlled large media interests in the United Kingdom and United States...
, then the proprietor, brought in the Daily Mails editor David English
David English
David English may refer to:*Melvin Franklin , American bass singer*Sir David English , , British newspaper editor...
, later Sir David who, with a task force of new journalists, redesigned and re-launched The Mail on Sunday. Over a period of three and a half months, Sir David managed to halt the decline and circulation increased to 840,000. There were three new sections introduced, first was a sponsored partwork
Partwork
A partwork is a written publication released as a series of planned magazine-like issues over a period of time. Issues are typically released on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, and often a completed set is designed to form a reference work on a particular topic.-Publication:Partwork series...
the initial one to be a cookery book; then a colour comic supplement (an innovation in the British Sunday newspaper market); and lastly, a magazine – You magazine. Circulation for the paper is now around 2.3 million, an increase of more than 1.5 million.
The newspaper's reputation was built on the back of its next editor, Stewart Steven. The newspaper's circulation grew from around 1m to just under 2m during his time in charge. Although its sister paper the Daily Mail has invariably supported the Conservative party, Steven backed David Owen
David Owen
David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen CH PC FRCP is a British politician.Owen served as British Foreign Secretary from 1977 to 1979, the youngest person in over forty years to hold the post; he co-authored the failed Vance-Owen and Owen-Stoltenberg peace plans offered during the Bosnian War...
's Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
in the 1983 General Election.
The subsequent editors were Jonathan Holborow, and the incumbent, Peter Wright.
Sections
- Financial Mail on Sunday – now incorporated into the main section of the paper, the Financial Mail on Sunday includes the award winning Financial Mail Enterprise, focusing on small business.
- You – You magazine is a women's magazine featured in The Mail on Sunday. Its mix of in-depth features plus fashion, beauty advice, practical insights on health and relationships, food recipes and interiors pages make it a regular read for over 3 million women (and 2.3 million men) every week. The Mail markets it, with Live magazine, as the only paper to have a magazine for him (Live) and for her (You). The Mail on Sunday is read by over six million a week.
- Live – this magazine is aimed at men although it also includes the TV listings section for the newspaper. The main features are columns by well-known people such as Piers MorganPiers MorganPiers Stefan Pughe-Morgan , known professionally as Piers Morgan, is a British journalist and television presenter. He is editorial director of First News, a national newspaper for children....
, and has a particular stance towards gadgets, and as such has been criticised for brand favouritism. - Mail on Sunday 2 – this pullout includes review, featuring articles on the arts, books and culture and it consists of reviews of all media and entertainment forms and interviews with sector personalities, property, travel and health.
- Sportsmail – on the back pages of the Mail. It features different sports including an emphasis on alternative sports such as darts and snooker.
- Football Mail on Sunday – this reviews Premier League, ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and Football LeagueThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
games from Saturday as well as any important international games.
Current
- Frank Barrett
- Patrick Collins
- Derek DraperDerek DraperDerek William Draper is a former lobbyist, former editor of the LabourList website, and psychotherapist. As a political advisor during the 1990s he became widely known for his role in two political scandals, "Lobbygate" and "Smeargate".-Biography:Draper was educated at Southlands High School in...
- Peter HitchensPeter HitchensPeter Jonathan Hitchens is an award-winning British columnist and author, noted for his traditionalist conservative stance. He has published five books, including The Abolition of Britain, A Brief History of Crime, The Broken Compass and most recently The Rage Against God. Hitchens writes for...
- Liz JonesLiz JonesElizabeth Ann Jones, known as Liz Jones , is a British journalist and writer.She originally followed a career in fashion journalism, but her work has broadened into confessional writing. Jones divides opinion...
- Suzanne MooreSuzanne MooreSuzanne Moore is a British journalist.The daughter of an American father and a working class Tory mother, who split up during her childhood, Moore was lined up by her headmistress to apply to enter Cambridge University, but left school at 16...
- Piers MorganPiers MorganPiers Stefan Pughe-Morgan , known professionally as Piers Morgan, is a British journalist and television presenter. He is editorial director of First News, a national newspaper for children....
- Glen Owen
- Tom Parker BowlesTom Parker BowlesThomas Henry Parker Bowles is the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles. His stepfather and godfather is Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. His younger sister is Laura Lopes....
Past
- Harry Blackwood
- Julie BurchillJulie BurchillJulie Burchill is an English writer and journalist. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action...
- John JunorJohn JunorSir John Donald Brown Junor was a Scottish journalist and editor-in-chief of the Sunday Express, having previously worked as a columnist there. He then moved to the Mail on Sunday....
- Norman TebbitNorman TebbitNorman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment...
- Keith WaterhouseKeith WaterhouseKeith Spencer Waterhouse CBE was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and the writer of many television series.-Biography:Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
Editors
- 1982: Bernard ShrimsleyBernard ShrimsleyBernard Shrimsley is a British newspaper editor and writer. He was editor of The Sun and the News of the World . He launched the Mail on Sunday in 1980 and acted as a director of the paper from 1980 to 1982...
- 1982: David EnglishDavid English (journalist)Sir David English was a British journalist and newspaper editor, best known for his twenty-year editorship of the Daily Mail.-Early life:...
- 1982: Stewart StevenStewart StevenStewart Steven was a British newspaper editor who grew circulation. His career was marked by three major clunkers. He was personally generous to friends and family....
- 1992: Jonathan Holborow
- 1998: Peter WrightPeter Wright (journalist)Peter Wright is a British newspaper editor.Wright attended Clare College, Cambridge, then took a graduate trainee position with Thomson Regional Newspapers, working as a reporter on the Hemel Hempstead Evening Post-Echo. In 1979, he moved to the Daily Mail, working on various desks before...