Big papers take
big circulation hits
NY Times off 4.5 percent and Newsday falls 5.6 percent
By Lisa Snedeker
Nov 6, 2007
America's newspapers continue to feel the draining effects of the internet, and that becomes even clearer with the most recent circulation numbers for the nation's top 538 dailies from the Audit Bureau of Circulations for the recent six-month period ended Sept. 30.
Weekday circulation was down 2.6 percent, versus 2.1 percent for the prior reporting period. Sunday circulation fell even more, by 3.5 percent, versus 3.1 percent for the prior period.
Also, similar to the last reporting period, the big declines were among the nation's largest papers, such as The New York Times, down 4.5 percent on weekdays and 7.6 percent on Sundays, Newsday, off 5.6 percent on weekdays and 4.3 percent on Sundays, and The New York Post, which after passing the New York Daily News has fallen behind again, off 5.2 percent on weekdays and 5.1 percent on Sundays (See charts, below).
Of the top 25 papers, 21 saw declines in their weekday circulation, while 22 saw declines on Sunday.
But while much of those declines can be blamed on readers giving up their daily newspaper for the internet, it appears a larger and larger portion is the direct result of publishers trimming back circulation in areas outside the core markets and readership bases that are of less value to advertisers.
That's the explanation The Times offers for some of its declines. Says a company spokesperson:
"Overall, The Times and our other newspapers are executing a circulation strategy that rebalances away from the less profitable 'other' circulation to the highly profitable 'individually paid.' As we execute this shift, we do expect to see copy declines, but by pursuing the strategy we have realized and will continue to realize significant benefits to our expense performance."
Other circulation includes copies distributed in bulk rather than purchased directly by individuals, such as papers placed in hotel rooms.
For other papers, the aim is to realign their circulation, editorial and ad sales strategies back toward their immediate communities. That's often meant trimming distant news bureaus while beefing up local coverage. It's meant either ending circulation to distant markets or raising the cost of the copies it sells there.
That's been very much the strategy of the Dallas Morning News.
During the prior reporting period, its circulation declined by 14 percent as a result of the paper's decision to refocus on the Dallas market. Half those declines came from cutbacks in bulk circulation and distribution beyond 100 miles of the Dallas-Forth Worth market. At the time, publisher Jim Moroney told Media Life: "What we are trying to do is align our circulation with the audience that is most important for advertisers."
That process continues. For the recent reporting period, the paper's weekday circulation was down another 7.7 percent, with Sunday down 7.6 percent.
|
Top 25 Daily Newspapers – Mon.-Fri.
As of Sept. 30
|
|
Newspaper
|
2007 Circ (Daily)
|
2006 Circ (Daily)
|
% change
|
|
USA
TODAY
|
2,293,137
|
2,269,509
|
1.04
|
|
WALL STREET JOURNAL
|
2,011,882
|
2,043,235
|
-1.53
|
|
NEW YORK TIMES
|
1,037,828
|
1,086,797
|
-4.51
|
|
LOS ANGELES TIMES
|
779,682
|
775,765
|
0.50
|
|
NEW YORK
DAILY NEWS
|
681,415
|
693,423
|
-1.73
|
|
NEW YORK
POST
|
667,119
|
704,011
|
-5.24
|
|
WASHINGTON
POST
|
635,087
|
656,298
|
-3.23
|
|
CHICAGO
TRIBUNE
|
559,404
|
576,131
|
-2.90
|
|
HOUSTON
CHRONICLE
|
507,437
|
508,091
|
-0.13
|
|
NEWSDAY
|
387,503
|
410,578
|
-5.62
|
|
ARIZONA
REPUBLIC
|
382,414
|
397,295
|
-3.75
|
|
DALLAS
MORNING NEWS
|
373,586
|
404,652
|
-7.68
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO
CHRONICLE
|
365,234
|
373,805
|
-2.29
|
|
BOSTON
GLOBE
|
360,695
|
386,417
|
-6.66
|
|
STAR-LEDGER OF
NEWARK
|
353,003
|
363,100
|
-2.78
|
|
PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER
|
338,260
|
330,622
|
2.31
|
|
STAR TRIBUNE OF
MINNEAPOLIS
|
335,443
|
358,887
|
-6.53
|
|
CLEVELAND
PLAIN DEALER
|
334,195
|
336,940
|
-0.81
|
|
DETROIT
FREE PRESS
|
320,125
|
328,719
|
-2.61
|
|
ATLANTA
JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
|
318,350
|
350,159
|
-9.08
|
|
PORTLAND
OREGONIAN
|
309,467
|
310,805
|
-0.43
|
|
ST. PETERSBURG
TIMES
|
288,807
|
288,679
|
0.04
|
|
ORANGE CO. REGISTER
|
278,507
|
287,204
|
-3.03
|
|
SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE
|
278,379
|
304,334
|
-8.53
|
|
ST. LOUIS
POST-DISPATCH
|
265,111
|
276,677
|
-4.18
|
|
Source: Audit Bureau of Circulations
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Top 25 Daily Newspapers – Sunday
As of Sept. 30
|
|
Newspaper
|
2007 Circ (Daily)
|
2006 Circ (Daily)
|
% change
|
|
NEW YORK TIMES
|
1,500,394
|
1,623,698
|
-7.59
|
|
LOS ANGELES TIMES
|
1,112,165
|
1,172,004
|
-5.11
|
|
CHICAGO
TRIBUNE
|
917,868
|
937,906
|
-2.14
|
|
WASHINGTON
POST
|
894,428
|
930,620
|
-3.89
|
|
NEW YORK
DAILY NEWS
|
726,305
|
779,346
|
-6.81
|
|
HOUSTON
CHRONICLE
|
693,228
|
692,593
|
0.09
|
|
PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER
|
662,304
|
682,252
|
-2.92
|
|
DETROIT
FREE PRESS
|
628,839
|
656,953
|
-4.28
|
|
DENVER
POST/ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
|
600,229
|
694,053
|
-13.52
|
|
STAR TRIBUNE OF
MINNEAPOLIS
|
570,443
|
596,330
|
-4.34
|
|
BOSTON
GLOBE
|
548,906
|
587,289
|
-6.54
|
|
STAR-LEDGER OF
NEWARK
|
534,128
|
565,640
|
-5.57
|
|
DALLAS
MORNING NEWS
|
523,313
|
566,608
|
-7.64
|
|
ARIZONA
REPUBLIC
|
480,585
|
503,952
|
-4.64
|
|
ATLANTA
JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
|
475,988
|
523,968
|
-9.16
|
|
NEWSDAY
|
454,194
|
474,749
|
-4.33
|
|
CLEVELAND
PLAIN DEALER
|
445,795
|
446,484
|
-0.15
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO
CHRONICLE
|
430,115
|
432,957
|
-0.66
|
|
SEATTLE
POST-INTELLIGENCER, TIMES
|
420,587
|
423,275
|
-0.64
|
|
ST. LOUIS
POST-DISPATCH
|
420,222
|
418,443
|
0.43
|
|
NEW YORK
POST
|
405,486
|
427,264
|
-5.10
|
|
MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL SENTINEL
|
390,840
|
401,379
|
-2.63
|
|
ST. PETERSBURG
TIMES
|
389,952
|
386,664
|
0.85
|
|
PORTLAND
OREGONIAN
|
371,386
|
375,757
|
-1.16
|
|
BALTIMORE
SUN
|
364,827
|
380,701
|
-4.17
|
|
Source: Audit Bureau of Circulations
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|
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