Posted on 11/07/2005 8:05:57 AM PST by blogblogginaway
NEW YORK The March FAS-FAX set off landmines with reports of steep declines at many papers, most prominently some top Tribune Co. properties. The September numbers are not much more encouraging.
The Newspaper Association of America said on Monday that overall daily circulation for the six-month period ending September 2005 for 789 newspapers fell 2.6% to 45,153,192 copies. For the 627 papers analyzed, Sunday dropped 3.1% to 49,394,406.
Here are some specifics from the new FAS-FAX report -- released at 8 a.m. Monday -- compared to September 2004:
The San Francisco Chronicle's daily circ is down 16.5% to 400,906 copies, a huge drop. Sunday circulation fell 13.5% to 467,216. The Los Angeles Times is down about 3.7% Monday through Friday to 843,432 copies. On Sunday the paper reported a decrease of roughly 3.4% to 1,247,588 copies.
The Orlando Sentinel took a huge hit, with daily circulation down around 11% to 219,838. The Chicago Tribune's daily circ fell around 2.7% to 586,122 daily copies. Sunday fell 1.3% to 950,582. Circulation at The Sun in Baltimore also decreased. Daily circ is down 8.5% to 247,193 and Sunday is down 7.7% to 418,670.
The Tribune Co. expects an overall decline of 4% for daily and Sunday copies -- excluding Newsday. According to the report, Newsday numbers are "withheld pending completion of six-month audit."
At the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, daily circ is down 3.9% to 249,090. Sunday circ fell 5.2% to 278,420. The Miami Herald is down 4.3% daily, and 3.6% on Sunday. The Philadelphia Inquirer is down about 3% with daily circ at 357,679. Sunday circ is down roughly 4.5% to 714,609. The Daily News in Philadelphia dropped almost 11% to 121,093 daily copies.
Knight Ridder said overall circulation for the company decreased about 2% for daily copies and about 3.5% for Sunday copies.
The Washington Post reported a drop in daily circulation, down 4% to 678,779. Sunday decreased roughly 4% to 965,919.
USA Today's daily circ slipped a bit, by 0.5% to 2,296,335.
The Arizona Republic in Phoenix is down slightly, 0.5% to 411,043 daily copies. Sunday circ showed declines of 2.4% to 517,699.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution dropped 8.7% to 362,436 daily copies. Sunday was down almost 5% to 570,126.
McClatchy breaks its 20-year winning streak this period. Daily circulation, it said, dropped around 1% while there was a "steeper decline" on Sunday.
The Star Tribune in Minneapolis lost a bit in daily, down 0.2% to 374,528. Sunday the paper took a hit, down 6% to 636,977.
The Boston Globe said its circulation plummeted this period. Daily circ dropped 7.7% and Sunday circ is down 7%. Executives said the Globe is managing down its "other-paid" circulation.
The New York Times reported tiny gains with daily up 0.4% and Sunday up 0.1%. The increases came mostly from the paper's national effort. Circulation for the New York City area declined.
The Wall Street Journal said in a conference call that it reported slight gains in online subscriptions. Overall circ for the paper dipped about 1% to 2,083,660.
The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J. gained 50 daily copies, up 0.01% to 400,092.
Daily circ at the Daily News in New York dropped 3.7% to 688,584. Sunday fell slighly, 0.7% to 781,375. Meanwhile the New York Post lost daily circ, down 1.7% to 662,681. Sunday dropped 6.3% to 425,279.
Are these quarterly decreases or annual?
If its like the Hartford Courant, the drop may actually be larger. The courant has started to issue a sunday paper on saturday, calling it an early addition. This will mask circulation figures.
Also the Courant offers a package deal for one weekly paper free along with reduced sunday paper.
Gosh, I'm all choked up with sorrow for these rags.
The USA today is far right compared to our Hartford Courant.
1) to New Media
2) to the Daily Show/Air America
3) quite literally- they died. Pure demographics.
While numbers 1 and 2 are in direct competition, we at FR may take comfort that #2 relies on MTV / R&B / and gangster rap culture to attract its audience.
Ie., our political adversaries are going nowhere in life.
So do the schools, probably, too. I saw a PILE of local news rags once at a Middle School in our community....looked like one for every teacher.
Yes, but they conducted their own investigation and found themselves not guilty.
I asked him why I would want to buy propaganda? He went into a spiel about all the awards they got etc. etc. I said two word's Jayson Blair. He gave the 800# so fast, I couldn't understand the numbers, then hung up.
It was fun...
I rarely see anyone under 30 with a newspaper in their hand. It's mostly just the gray-hairs.
Tree-huggers are strangely silent about this wonderful development.
The drop numbers probably aren't accurate. Circulation hasn't really dropped that quickly. It's just that a few papers got caught inflating the numbers, so most of the papers are taking out some of the padding before the advertisers catch on.
Newspapers are in the business of selling advertizing; not the reporting of news. Newspapers have been mailing advertizing for years to reach those who do not take a newspaper. these ads are usually 'wrapped' in a special section called "Food Day" or something similar.
Discount grocers like WinCo don't do any advertizing, yet do much more business because their prices are significantly lower overall than the big advertizers.
Good point...the MSM will continue to fade away as these people 'move on'. Unfortunately; many young people consider the 'Daily Show' as a credible source for news.
What a liberal rag that SF comical is..Race, race, race, diversity, gay this, gay that, everywhere on every cover. Gave it up 5 years agao. Why doesnt the Orange County Register take on all the liberal newspapers in the West? Kinda like conservative talk radio did. They could capture 50% of the mkt overnight.
So... hwree's that Simpsons bully (Francis) going, "haha" and pointing. I think that pic fits here perfectly.
I go to the local recycling bin and pick up a few discarded newspapers to use for my bird cages. I get lots of glee seeing bird plop on liberal trash.
So has the Phila Inquirer.
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