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Newspaper circulation continues to decline fast
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Newspaper circulation continues to decline fast
Newspaper circulation continues to decline fast
New figures show declines in newspaper circulation are accelerating, as free information becomes more available online. The declines follow a trend in a loss of advertising revenue.
Figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations indicate that average daily circulation dropped more than 10-and-a-half percent between April and September, compared to a year ago. The drop during the same period in 2007 was 4.6 percent. Sunday circulation dropped, too, some 7-and-a-half percentage points in the latest six month span.
The drop hurt USA Today the most. It lost more than 17 percent of its readers and, at a circulation of 1.9 million, fell to second place behind The Wall Street Journal. Its average Monday through Friday circulation remained at just over 2 million readers. USA Today blamed its drop on fewer people traveling and buying papers at airports and hotels.
The New York Times has the third highest readership, but its circulation fell more than 7 percent. The circulation bureau compared nearly 380 newspapers across the country.
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Today, on Giving Tuesday, your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
