The Weekend Australian has -delivered its best circulation result in years as print sales stabilise and paying online subscribers -continue to increase.
The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures show weekend circulation of the newspaper slipped by just 3.4 per cent to 223,526 copies for the   September quarter, making it one of the best-performing papers in Australia. 
In addition to a moderation in the rate of decline in print sales, the paper has shown a rapid take-up of paid subscribers since the launch of a rewards-based membership program earlier this year.
Average total paid masthead sales came in at 273,311 as the paper opens new avenues with -audiences in the digital age.
"The Weekend Australian's latest circulation results saw the newspaper's best result in years: a moderating print decline, share gains against most of the competitive set and accelerating digital volume growth, all despite price increases this quarter," chief executive of The Australian Nicholas Gray said. "The Weekend Australian continues to lead the way as Australia's best read and most influential national newspaper across print and digital, and with the most valuable audience." For premium newspapers such as News Corporation's The Australian, charging for online access has given newspapers a way to slow, and in some cases reverse, circulation declines, raise prices and open a new source of revenue. It has also enabled the paper to reduce its reliance on volatile advertising towards more stable circulation revenue.
After the seventh quarter in a row of slowing print declines, weekend newspapers have been among the standout performers, becoming a more powerful platform for advertisers seeking to build engagement with readers in a world of digital distraction. -Circulation falls are moving into the low single-digit figures after years of double-digit drops.
The Weekend Financial Review, published by Fairfax Media, was flat at 55,314 copies, while the Saturday edition of News Corp's Daily Telegraph saw print sales drop by a more moderate 6.9 per cent to 244,863 copies.
The weekend edition of The Sydney Morning Herald, published by Fairfax, experienced an 8.4 per cent drop in circulation to 196,406 copies, while total sales fell by 4.2 per cent to 263,990.
Simon Ryan, the chief executive of Australia's second-largest media buyer, Carat Australia and New Zealand, said people had more time to sit down, relax and enjoy reading something "tangible" at the weekend.
"The tangibility of a weekend printed newspaper is as alive as it's ever been, which is somewhat dictated by consumer habits and the cafe culture that Australia has become," Mr Ryan said."There's a lot more reason for people to relax and read papers on the weekend. In the hustle and bustle of a busy week a lot of people pick up snippets through the newspapers."