El País confirms its lead among the general-interest press with a total of 2,101,000 readers

El País has once again confirmed its absolute lead among the non-giveaway general-interest press with a total of 2,101,000 readers, according to second quarter audit figures from the Estudio General de Medios (EGM). PRISA's newspaper enjoys a lead of 759,000 readers over its nearest rival. Half of El País readers (1,046,000) reads no other general newspaper.

The paper has strengthened its position in Andalucia where, with 260,000 readers, it is the top-ranking non-giveaway newspaper -easily beating its nearest rival. The paper is also number one in Madrid, with 679,000 readers. El País also maintains its lead as the most-read national paper in the Valencia region (201,000 readers) and in Galicia (136,000 readers), where it has grown by 51% over the past two years.

El País's lead is borne out by circulation figures from auditing bureau OJD, which gives the paper an average daily circulation of 431,034 in 2008.

With regards to newspaper supplements, El País Semanal has 2,315,000 readers and  Dominical, 3,066,000. Both publications are leaders in 17 provinces (including Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia) and in the regions of Madrid, Catalonia, Valencia and Castilla La Mancha.