Associated Newspapers has pipped Rupert Murdoch's News International to claim an early lead in a circulation battle between their free afternoon London newspapers, according to figures released on Friday.
Associated's "London Lite" distributed an average of 359,389 copies a day compared with News International's "thelondonpaper" which had an average of 327,120 according to data from the UK Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The two papers are locked in a fight for the capital's young commuters who have turned away from the country's traditional, paid-for-newspapers in favour of the Internet.
The free papers cover news, sport, entertainment and listings and are aimed at the tired commuter who wants something light to read on the way home. They launched at the beginning of September and Friday's data is the first to show circulation figures.
"We're thrilled that London Lite is proving so popular with Londoners, and that its success is reflected in the first ABC figures," Steve Auckland, head of the free newspaper division at Associated said in a statement.
"It's a very positive result and we're looking forward to building on this achievement in the coming months." Ian Clark, the general manager of thelondonpaper said they were seeing a week-on-week growth in circulation and gaining loyal readers.
"The London Paper has received an enormously positive reaction from our readers and our advertisers are impressed by the quality audience it is reaching. We have every confidence we can build on this success in the coming months," he said in a statement.
The one newspaper to fare badly in the London newspaper market was Associated Newspapers' paid-for Evening Standard which saw circulation fall by nearly 24,000. It has recently increased its price by 10 pence to 50 pence and carries the label "London's Quality Newspaper" on the masthead.
"I am delighted our readers have remained loyal to the Standard," editor Veronica Wadley said. "We are holding our core audience and we are reaching that vital affluent AB market that others find so difficult to reach."
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