Is The Mail on Sunday the same as the Daily Mail?

No. They share a publisher (Associated Newspapers, within dmg media) but maintain separate editors, newsrooms and editorial identities. The Sunday title is a standalone newspaper published once weekly.

When was The Mail on Sunday founded?

It launched in May 1982 as the Sunday sister title to the Daily Mail.

Is The Mail on Sunday available online?

Yes. Its journalism appears on MailOnline and inside the Mail+ subscription app alongside the daily titles' content.

What is The Mail on Sunday's market position?

It is Britain's leading mid-market Sunday newspaper, holding the strongest position in a contracting Sunday segment dominated by The Mail on Sunday in its category.

Did The Mail on Sunday lose the Meghan Markle case?

Yes. Courts ruled that publishing extracts of the Duchess of Sussex's private letter breached her privacy and copyright, with the judgment finalized in 2021.

Media & Entertainment

Who Owns The Mail on Sunday?

Q: Who owns The Mail on Sunday?

Associated Newspapers, part of dmg media, which is controlled by the Harmsworth family through Daily Mail and General Trust and Rothermere Continuation Limited.

The Mail on Sunday is owned by Associated Newspapers, a subsidiary of dmg media within the Rothermere family-controlled Daily Mail and General Trust group. Launched in 1982 as the Sunday companion to the Daily Mail, it operates its own editorial team and is the UK's most-read mid-market Sunday newspaper.

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Parent Company

dmg media Limited

Founded

1982

Status

Private

Headquarters

London, England, United Kingdom

The Mail on Sunday Timeline

1905

dmg media Limited

Parent company established in London, England, United Kingdom

Company Founded

1982

The Mail on Sunday

Founded by Associated Newspapers (corporate launch under Lord Rothermere)

Founded

United KingdomOfficial Website

Who Owns The Mail on Sunday?

Parent Company: dmg media Limited
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Company Type: Privately Held

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
The Mail on Sunday	dmg media Limited	Wholly owned

Where to Buy

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The Mail on Sunday on Amazon

History of The Mail on Sunday

Founded: 1982
Founders: Associated Newspapers (corporate launch under Lord Rothermere)

The Mail on Sunday launched in May 1982, belatedly giving the Mail stable a Sunday presence after earlier experiments failed. Its founding came during a fiercely competitive period for British Sundays, and early years were rocky enough that the paper underwent a 1987 relaunch under new editorship.

The title found its footing as a distinct voice rather than a weekend replica of the daily: its political coverage and campaigns, particularly under long-serving columnist and later editor Peter Wright's era leadership and editors including Geordie Greig and Ted Verity, often took sharper lines than the daily paper. Its 1990s and 2000s campaigns on issues from the Stephen Lawrence case aftermath to health debates built a reputation for agenda-setting journalism.

A defining controversy shaped its history: in 1990 the paper published "The Mail on Sunday's" exclusive extracts later central to the "Squidgygate" affair coverage of the royal family, and decades later the Duchess of Sussex privacy case arose from a Mail on Sunday article publishing her letter to her father. The courts ruled against Associated Newspapers in that case, a landmark privacy ruling finalized in 2021.

Today the title survives as the strongest mid-market Sunday in a shrinking category, bundled into dmg media's digital subscription push while print circulation follows the industry-wide decline.

About dmg media Limited

Who owns dmg media?
dmg media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust plc, which is controlled by Rothermere Continuation Limited, the Harmsworth family holding company. Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, chairs DMGT.

Is dmg media publicly traded?
No. DMGT was listed on the London Stock Exchange for most of the twentieth century but was taken private in January 2022 when Rothermere Continuation Limited acquired the shares it did not already own.

What brands does dmg media own?
Its principal titles are Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, MailOnline and Mail+, Metro, The i Paper and New Scientist, along with associated apps, podcasts and printing operations.

When was dmg media founded?
The company traces its history to Associated Newspapers, founded in 1905 by the Harmsworth brothers. The dmg media name was adopted in 2013 when DMGT reorganized its consumer publishing assets.

Where is dmg media headquartered?
The company is based at 9 Derry Street in Kensington, west London, in the former Barkers department store building.

What is dmg media's relationship to the Daily Mail?
dmg media is the corporate publisher; the Daily Mail is its flagship newspaper. Associated Newspapers, a dmg media subsidiary, holds the publishing rights to the Mail titles and MailOnline.

Did dmg media buy the Telegraph?
No. The Rothermere interests were repeatedly linked to bids for Telegraph Media Group during its 2023 to 2025 ownership process, but no acquisition had been completed as of November 2026.

Founded: 1905
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Company Type: Privately Held
Revenue: Approximately £652 million (FY2024, reported)
Employees: Approximately 3,000

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View full company profile for dmg media Limited

Where Is The Mail on Sunday Made / Based?

Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom

The Mail on Sunday Categories & Tags

Newspaper Sunday Paper Uk Media Tabloid Publishing

The Mail on Sunday Recalls & Controversies

The title's most consequential controversy is the Duchess of Sussex case: a 2019 article publishing extracts of her private letter to her father led to a privacy and copyright ruling against Associated Newspapers, upheld on appeal in 2021, resulting in a front-page statement and damages. The publisher also faces ongoing civil claims alleging historical phone hacking and unlawful information gathering, which it contests.

As with the daily, its editorial stances attract regular IPSO complaints and political criticism.

The Mail on Sunday Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Shares dmg media's commercial and printing infrastructure
+Private family ownership insulates it from quarterly pressure
+Distinct editorial identity strengthens overall Mail stable
+Inclusion in Mail+ diversifies revenue beyond print

Considerations

-Sunday newspaper market is in steep structural decline
-Litigation costs are carried at group level but harm brand reputation
-Editorial alignment with Mail politics limits audience breadth
-Print-heavy revenue model faces accelerating decline

Frequently Asked Questions About The Mail on Sunday

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to The Mail on Sunday

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Daily MailSister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	1896	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
MailOnlineSister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	2003	Mass market	Global	All Genders
Metro (UK)Sister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	1999	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
The i PaperSister Brand	Dmg Media	United Kingdom	2010	Mass market	United kingdom	All Genders
Berita Harian	Sph Media	Singapore	1957	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders
Lianhe Zaobao	Sph Media	Singapore	1983	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders