Newspaper circulation decline picks up speed

ByABC News
April 27, 2009, 7:25 PM

NEW YORK -- Circulation declines at the nation's newspapers are accelerating.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations said Monday that total average daily circulation declined 7.1% in the October-March period from the same six months in 2007-2008. The latest figure represents data from 395 daily U.S. newspapers that reported in both the current and year-ago periods.

The most recent drop was faster than the 4.6% fall in April-September 2008, and the 3.6% fall in October 2007-March 2008.

The Wall Street Journal, the second-largest newspaper, was the only one in the top 25 to show an increase in daily circulation. It increased less than 1% to an average 2,082,189. The New York Times' daily circulation fell 3.6% to 1,039,031, while the Los Angeles Times saw a drop of 6.6% to 723,181.

Other newspapers in the top 25 had daily circulation declines ranging from less than one-tenth of 1% at the Chicago Sun-Times to 20.6% at the New York Post.

Sunday circulation fell 5.4% in the latest period. This is based on data from 557 U.S. newspapers that reported in both the current and year-ago periods.

The New York Times continues to be the top newspaper on Sunday when USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal do not publish though circulation dropped 1.7% to 1,451,233. The Los Angeles Times remains second, with a decline of 7.5% to 1,019,388.

Two newspapers in the top 25 posted Sunday increases, but both gains were less than 1%. Sunday circulation rose to 516,562 at The Arizona Republic and hit 415,815 at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Newspaper sales have been declining since the early 1990s, but the drop accelerated in recent years. Circulation revenue has largely held up, though, because of price increases. The publications have been hurt more by drops in advertising sales, which represent the bulk of revenue at most newspapers.