Rupert Murdoch: First Sunday Edition of The Sun Sold 3.26 Million Copies

NEW YORK - News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said on Twitter that his company's first Sunday edition of U.K. tabloid newspaper The Sun sold 3.26 million copies.

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That would exceed the circulation of the News of the World, which the company closed last year amid the phone hacking scandal that has affected the media conglomerate since last summer. The 168-year-old paper had about 2.67 million readers when it was shuttered.

"Reports early, but new Sun edition sold 3m!" Murdoch had tweeted late Sunday. On Monday, he followed that up with: "Amazing! The Sun confirmed sale of 3.260,000 copies yesterday. Thanks all readers and advertisers. Sorry if sold out - more next time."

The first Sun on Sunday included an interview with Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.

The Sunday edition of the Sun went on sale for 50 pence (79 cents), half the price of the News of the World. Murdoch previously said that he would be happy with a circulation for the new paper of “substantially” more than 2 million.

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com

Twitter: @georgszalai