Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tribune Company (LA Times parent) Admits Inflated Circulation Numbers At Two Papers
LA Times Watch ^

Posted on 06/23/2004 9:44:05 AM PDT by prfix

The soup thickens... Tribune, the parent company of the LA Times and many other US newspapers, has found inflated circulation numbers at two of its papers, and is reviewing circulation accounting procedures at all of its papers including the LA Times


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: agendabias; bias; distortion; latimes; losangelestimes; media; newspapers; tribunecompany
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last
It's not just job cuts that are resulting from increased scrutiny of the conduct of one of America's major dailies... circulation practices are also being scrutinized...

http://www.geocities.com/truthmasters/watch04-2.html#0622

Tribune, the parent company of the LA Times and many other US newspapers, has found inflated circulation numbers at two of its papers, and is reviewing circulation accounting procedures at all of its papers including the LA Times

They are asking those who support it to write to Macy's to let them know what you think of the paper.

1 posted on 06/23/2004 9:44:07 AM PDT by prfix
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: prfix

It looks like the LA Times' circulation departments & polling departments both use the same fuzzy math.


2 posted on 06/23/2004 9:50:32 AM PDT by gubamyster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Couldn't happen to a nicer group of leftists.


3 posted on 06/23/2004 9:52:35 AM PDT by johniegrad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Since ad rates are based on circulation figures wouldn't this be an actionable offense? If I had paid to get 2 million views and I was only getting 1.7 million views I would be a bit upset.


4 posted on 06/23/2004 9:54:29 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter (06/07/04 - 1000 days since 09/11/01)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Die you egg sucking pigs!


5 posted on 06/23/2004 9:56:27 AM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gubamyster
They are asking those who support it to write to Macy's to let them know what you think of the paper.

by support "it" I meant, the LA Times boycott.

those guys got it straight... no fuzzy math there! never believe an LA Times poll.
6 posted on 06/23/2004 9:56:47 AM PDT by prfix
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: prfix
Shocked I tell ya, shocked!


7 posted on 06/23/2004 9:57:02 AM PDT by GalaxieFiveHundred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Appears the LA Times, like NY Times and CNN, are suffering from their liberal leftist communist demoncRAT agenda. Another demoncRAT media outlet going down the tubes.


8 posted on 06/23/2004 10:02:22 AM PDT by lilylangtree (Veni, Vidi, Vici)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lilylangtree

I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop at the Minneapolis Star Tribune.


9 posted on 06/23/2004 10:04:10 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (STAGMIRE !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks

Its called fraud. This will be the demise of these rags. If Im a customer that bought advertising space..I am calling my lawyer this morning to get my money back. This could really gain some speed and put these rags out of business..Should be fun to watch.


10 posted on 06/23/2004 10:10:23 AM PDT by samadams2000 (Liberalism is communism one drink at a time)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks

Same here with the Tampa Tribune.
I won't even take a free copy!


11 posted on 06/23/2004 10:10:31 AM PDT by sarasmom (Sometimes, I wish liberals had beliefs, so I could desecrate them. (spok))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: prfix; All
I wonder if these papers criticize Bush and his ties to Enron???
12 posted on 06/23/2004 10:19:12 AM PDT by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Straight Vermonter

Yes very actionable, both civilly and criminally.


13 posted on 06/23/2004 10:19:57 AM PDT by thoughtomator (Islam delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Straight Vermonter
Since ad rates are based on circulation figures wouldn't this be an actionable offense? If I had paid to get 2 million views and I was only getting 1.7 million views I would be a bit upset.

----
This could bankrupt a lot of papers. If a company advertised and stocked up according to expectations based on ad circulation and certain sales targets weren't met and spoilage occurred, I don't see why the paper shouldn't be liable for the spoilage, not just ad overcharges.
14 posted on 06/23/2004 10:21:56 AM PDT by Jim_Curtis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: prfix; Carl/NewsMax; Steve Malzberg; Mia T; Interesting Times; MeekOneGOP; potlatch; PhilDragoo; ...


             
    CBS/NYT POLL: # polled? (under 1500 for sure)
  35% - democrats - (oversampled 10%)
  25% - Republicans     LA TIMES POLL: # polled? (under 1500 for sure)
  38% - democrats - (oversampled 13%)
  25% - Republicans     AOL ONLINE POLLED: 600,000+
(with poll moved inside a Teresa Heinz article 2nd day!)

                40% - Kerry
                50% - Bush     WASH POST/ABC POLL: 1200+/-
  38% - democrats - (oversampled 8%)
  30% - Republicans     NC NEWS & OBSERVER/WRAL-TV/WNUC POLL:
                42% - Kerry
                47% - Bush
  38% - democrats - (oversampled 13%)
  25% - Republicans

15 posted on 06/23/2004 10:27:12 AM PDT by devolve (---------------- [--------------Hello from Sunny South Florida-------------)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Straight Vermonter
I believe it is a criminal offense. It is fraud. If the bills for advertisements were sent through the mail and the amount was based upon circulation, then it is mail fraud, a federal offense. If the company is publicly traded it is securities fraud.

Tribune could be in a lot of trouble.

16 posted on 06/23/2004 10:29:35 AM PDT by P-Marlowe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Looks like the only way newspaper advertisers can be sure they're not being cheated is to demand independent auditing of those circulation counts.


17 posted on 06/23/2004 10:36:47 AM PDT by Interesting Times (ABCNNBCBS -- yesterday's news.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix; P-Marlowe

I posted a thread on this a few weeks ago and have a new followup thread.

Here is the thread and link that I posted a few weeks ago:

Here is the article/thread that I posted earlier this month about the LA Slimes inflating its subscriptions.


LA Slimes/Tribune stock takes a hit w/less ad $'s

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1149807/posts

Tribune falls after warning, downgrade, (LA Slimes and Chicago Tribune)

CBS.MarketWatch.com. ^ | 8 June 2004 | Russ Britt


Posted on 06/08/2004 8:30:53 AM PDT by Grampa Dave


Tribune falls after warning, downgrade

By Russ Britt, CBS.MarketWatch.com

Last Update: 11:01 AM ET June 8, 2004

LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Tribune Co. dropped 4 percent Tuesday in the wake of the newspaper publisher's warning on sales projections and a downgrade from a Wall Street analyst.

Chicago-based Tribune (TRB: news, chart, profile) fell $1.88 to $46.80 after the company said Monday it expects sales growth to be slower than expected within its publishing group and will have to take a $10 million to $15 million charge in the second quarter to make up for it.

That prompted A.G. Edwards analyst Michael Kupinski to downgrade Tribune stock to "hold" from "buy." Kupinski said, however, that Tribune's downside should be "limited."

"In our view, the likely catalyst toward higher stock valuations will be positive earnings surprises and sequential growth in quarterly revenues," Kupinski wrote in a note issued Tuesday. "Patient investors willing to wait an upturn in revenue growth at the company, which appears possible in a favorable economic environment, are encouraged to retain positions."

The publisher of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune said it will take the charge because it is reducing expense growth from 5.5 percent down to 3 percent. Tribune officials said, however, they still expect to fall within analyst estimates for the quarter.

Tribune is cutting 200 staff positions, undertaking newsprint conservation programs and reducing spending in all departments. Company officials said the growth plans that existed earlier in the year weren't meeting expectations.

"Although help wanted advertising is improving month-over-month, and preprints year-to-date are delivering strong growth, other advertising categories are not meeting the aggressive plans we had for the year," Jack Fuller, president of Tribune Publishing, said in a statement. "The shortfall is limited to a few newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times."

Tribune expects sales growth of roughly 4 percent for the full year.

The company put out its warning as it announced sales were up 3.2 percent for a roughly monthlong period ended May 23.

Russ Britt is the Los Angeles Bureau Chief for CBS.MarketWatch.com.



18 posted on 06/23/2004 10:39:19 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (John Fonda al Kerry began his political life as a Pro Commy Vietnam War protester!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix

Lots of newspapers do this.


19 posted on 06/23/2004 10:39:19 AM PDT by StoneColdGOP (McClintock - In Your Heart, You Know He's Right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: prfix; P-Marlowe

Here is the latest thread on this, which I posted today.

This is important in that Wall Street is now monitoring these liars, not just Media Watch and Free Republic.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158666/posts

Merrill Lynch Fears More Circ Flaps; Advertising Fallout (La Slimes fall out)
Editor and Publisher.com ^ | June 21, 2004 12:20 PM EST | Jennifer Saba


Posted on 06/23/2004 9:09:53 AM PDT by Grampa Dave


Merrill Lynch Fears More Circ Flaps; Advertising Fallout

By Jennifer Saba

Published: NEW YORK Troubled by last week's circulation scandals at Hollinger International's Chicago Sun-Times and the Tribune Co.'s Newsday and Hoy, Merrill Lynch's Lauren Rich Fine released a report today calling into question the reliability of circulation figures for the entire industry. "Our biggest fear," the report said, "is that these two announcements may not be isolated incidents."

The worst consequence could be declining ad revenue, if advertisers doubt the reliability of circulation figures. The report says that the most vulnerable spot will be preprint inserts as they are purchased entirely on circ reach. It added: "Circulation is likely to remain a controversial topic in the near term."

The report also takes to task the Audit Bureau of Circulations, saying that the overstatement of circ figures seems to "suggest that there may be loopholes in the ABC audit system" and "at the very minimum, it suggests that ABC's audits need to be completed much sooner." Many newspapers use the ABC publisher's statements to sell advertising because there is a lag in the ABC audited reports. All newspapers are audited once a year. Those with a circ under 25,000 have the option of going through an audit every two years.

Also Fine points to the Rosie magazine circulation flap and the ripples it sent through that industry: "It appears that concerns about inaccuracies in the magazine circulation statements, a fallout from the Rosie magazine trial, have had more impact on magazine advertising in the last year than we thought. We hope the same will not happen to the newspaper industry."


Jennifer Saba (jsaba@editorandpublisher.com) is associate editor for E&P.


20 posted on 06/23/2004 10:42:12 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (John Fonda al Kerry began his political life as a Pro Commy Vietnam War protester!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson