More people buying Herald on Sunday

This picture impressed the Panpa judges. Photo / Doug Sherring

The Herald on Sunday's sales figures are rising.

National circulation figures out on Friday have the paper at its second highest sales level: 98,082 copies circulate on any given Sunday.

The Audit Bureau of Circulation audit rules have changed slightly in the past 12 months, but the latest figure, for the year to the end of June, is up 2.3 per cent, or more than 2000 papers a Sunday, on the most comparable figure of a year ago.

It makes us the only Sunday paper showing circulation growth.

The Sunday Star-Times has dropped about 2.5 per cent in the same period, and the Sunday News has tanked another 7.4 per cent to report a circulation figure of less than 50,000.

Editor Bryce Johns says the figures prove the growing connection the paper has with readers.

"New products like our widely-read Living magazine should ensure more people find a reason to return to the paper," Johns said.

Readership figures also out are another triumph.

The Herald on Sunday recorded 382,000 readers aged 15+ on an average Sunday.

The figure is the paper's third highest and is consistent with its readership numbers in the past four quarters.

Its record readership was nearly 400,000 a year ago.

It continues to be the best read Sunday paper north of Taupo.

On top of the strong readership and circulation performance, the paper has had more critical acclaim this week. It was a finalist for best Sunday paper at the Australia-New Zealand Panpa journalism awards in Sydney. The title was won by Perth's Daily Mail.

Photographer Doug Sherring was a finalist in the best news photography section with a picture taken at Coromandel at New Year.