Apr 26, 2010

Circulation drop*, **

The average weekday circulation for the daily newspapers fell 8.7 percent over the last six months, according to the most recent ABC report.

Of the big papers, the San Francisco Chronicle and Dallas Morning News did the worst, dropping 22.6 percent and 21.4 percent, respectively. The Washington Post and USA Today also saw double-digit declines, with the Post down 13.1 percent and USA Today dropping 13.6 percent. The New York Times beat the average, but only slightly, with a drop of 5.1 percent.

The Wall Street Journal was the only major newspaper to see a bump in circulation, though by less than 1 percent. Most of the increase was attributed to a boost in the paper's online subscription base.

*Added from LA Observed: [The] San Diego Union-Tribune ... saw its circulation plunge 23%**. The Los Angeles Times lost 14.7% to reach 616,606 daily (down 7.6% Sunday to 941,914.)

**CORRECTION: As a reader correctly pointed out, the numbers for the Union-Tribune are wrong. The San Diego daily saw its circulation drop 8.7 percent

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Check again, SD is only down a little. ABC confused SD's numbers with SF.

Anonymous said...

just give the genius down south a little more time.

Anonymous said...

SGVN shows growth in circulation as others lose readers

By Kevin Smith Staff Writer
Posted: 04/26/2010 11:50:01 PM PDT

California newspapers continue to suffer circulation losses, but figures released Monday show the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group is bucking the trend.

SGVN's Whittier Daily News posted a total paid daily circulation of 14,129 in March, up 3.5 percent from 13,645 a year earlier, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune's daily circulation rose 0.5 percent to 36,041 compared with 35,867 in March of last year.

The Pasadena Star-News was the only SGVN paper to post a decline, but it was small. The Star-News dropped 0.3 percent to 25,410 in March compared with 25,483 a year earlier, ABC figures show. All three newspapers reported gains in paid Sunday circulation. The Tribune rose 5 percent to 38,905; the Daily News increased 3.2 percent to 14,715; and the Star-News rose 1.3 percent to 27,431.




Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_14963538#ixzz0mJB3Ikau

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to look at just the raw numbers. Percentages can be misleading or not tell the whole story. For example, 15% for LAT is a staggering number, probably somewhere around 80,000 copies.

Personally, I think SGVN does a good job and they have some decent papers, especially considering their staffing.

Anonymous said...

LAT lost 106,000: from 723,000 to 616,000.

Union Tribune: -11,600: from 261,200 to 249,600

Press Enterprise: -25,500: from 140,000 to 114,500

LADN: -14,600: from 104,400 to 89,800

Anonymous said...

a small loss for pasadena but a circ gain of 174 papers isn't a small gain? come on guys.

Anonymous said...

These numbers can easily be manipulated, every year the SN mysteriously starts showing up in my mother's driveway even though she never subscribes. Several of her neighbors have this same issue.

I bet you they count these non-subscribers in their numbers.

Anonymous said...

I just called to renew my subscription to my newspaper. Had to call offshor three times before I could get anyone to understand the pricing model which is theirs. Wasted time and the pennies they are saving are actually costing them a lot more. Wake up newspapers. Advertising is going or gone. You can't compete on the web long term, at least most can't, and your core subscribers are in the twilight of their years. What the heck is rosy about this picture? Not only that, features are being eliminated because of cost or advertisers are pulling out because of roi. You are driving me to the competition to check out a movie show time.