Major changes in
newspaper circ tallies
ABC introduces new rules for counting various editions
By Toni Fitzgerald
Nov 1, 2011
The long decline in newspaper circulation has stopped, at least temporarily.
It's not because newspapers are no longer losing readership; they still are.
Rather this stoppage is due to a change in the way the Audit Bureau of Circulations tallies its numbers.
The ABC issued its latest circ numbers this morning, but unlike in past six-month reporting periods, there are no comparisons to last year.
The ABC has implemented so many rule changes that it would be impossible to compare this round of numbers to those from six months or a year ago.
Those changes include addition of branded editions, or different versions of one paper with slight changes in content that are published under a different name, such as the Contra Costa Times being counted as a branded edition of the San Jose Mercury.
The changes also include counting digital editions in different ways, such as digital replicas, which reproduce the paper exactly online as it appears in print, separate from digital editions sold on e-readers.
The end result is that newspapers get a new baseline circulation that ensuing reports can be compared against.
It also means that newspapers will see more favorable comparisons after years of steep declines, which prompted many to lobby for the new system.
The changes did not result in many differences at the top papers. The Wall Street Journal remained No. 1 in weekday circulation for the six months ended Sept. 30, with total circulation of 2.096 million.
USA Today was second at 1.78 million, followed by the New York Times (1.15 million), New York Daily News (605,677) and Los Angeles Times (572,998).
The New York Times was first in Sunday circ with 1,645,152, followed by the Houston Chronicle (911,564, including nearly 400,000 from branded editions) and the LA Times (905,920).
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Top 25 Daily Newspapers
Average Circulation
Six Months ended Sept. 30
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Newspaper
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Circulation ex Branded Editions
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Branded Editions
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Total CIrculation
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WALL STREET JOURNAL
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2,096,169
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2,096,169
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USA TODAY
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1,784,242
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1,784,242
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NEW YORK TIMES
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1,150,589
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1,150,589
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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
|
601,097
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4,580
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605,677
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LOS ANGELES TIMES
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572,998
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572,998
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SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
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184,018
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343,550
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527,568
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NEW YORK POST
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512,067
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512,067
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WASHINGTON POST
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507,465
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507,465
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
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425,370
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425,370
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DALLAS MORNING NEWS
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255,613
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154,029
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409,642
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NEWSDAY
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404,542
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404,542
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CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
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236,371
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152,982
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389,353
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HOUSTON CHRONICLE
|
328,813
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40,897
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369,710
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DENVER POST
|
343,180
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9,935
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353,115
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
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260,375
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70,759
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331,134
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STAR-TRIBUNE
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298,147
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298,147
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ARIZONA REPUBLIC
|
292,838
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292,838
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ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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172,942
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97,867
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270,809
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CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
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243,299
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243,299
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SEATTLE TIMES
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242,814
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242,814
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OREGONIAN
|
242,784
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242,784
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ST. PETERSBURG TIMES
|
240,024
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240,024
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DETROIT FREE PRESS
|
234,579
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234,579
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SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
|
220,515
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|
220,515
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SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
|
219,347
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219,347
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Source: Audit Bureau of Circulation
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Top 25 Sunday Newspapers
Average Circulation
Six Months ended Sept. 30
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Newspaper
|
Circulation ex Branded Editions
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Branded Editions
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Total CIrculation
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NEW YORK TIMES
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1,645,152
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1,645,152
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HOUSTON CHRONICLE
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519,155
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392,409
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911,564
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LOS ANGELES TIMES
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905,920
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905,920
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WASHINGTON POST
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726,990
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119,029
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846,019
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
|
781,128
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781,128
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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
|
666,892
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746
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667,638
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DETROIT FREE PRESS (e)
|
487,953
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151,397
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639,350
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SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
|
219,252
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383,314
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602,566
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STAR TRIBUNE
|
518,095
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25,538
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543,633
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DENVER POST
|
495,172
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42,961
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538,133
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
|
482,457
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482,457
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NEWSDAY
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476,723
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476,723
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ARIZONA REPUBLIC
|
472,200
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472,200
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ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
|
410,022
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410,022
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CLEVELAND PLAIN-DEALER
|
344,089
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59,856
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403,945
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ST. PETERSBURG TIMES
|
403,229
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|
403,229
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CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
|
233,445
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167,061
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400,506
|
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ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
|
283,997
|
113,767
|
397,764
|
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NEW YORK POST
|
379,673
|
|
379,673
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DALLAS MORNING NEWS
|
362,134
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12,519
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374,653
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BOSTON GLOBE
|
360,186
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360,186
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SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
|
246,742
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97,378
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344,120
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SEATTLE TIMES
|
333,937
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333,937
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NEWARK STAR-LEDGER
|
333,601
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333,601
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ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
|
332,825
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332,825
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Source: Audit Bureau of Circulation
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