With only a handful of exceptions, most of the nation’s large daily newspapers lost circulation during the six-month period that ended Sept. 30, according to figures released Monday by the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The latest numbers reflect what has been a difficult economic year for the newspaper industry, which has responded to a more than 40 percent boost in newsprint prices by cutting back unprofitable circulation and, in some cases, raising newsstand prices.
The Chicago Tribune was among 6 of the top 20 daily papers reporting a boost in circulation. Daily circulation rose to 684,366 from 678,081 in the year-earlier period, while the Sunday count inched up to 1,083,963, from 1,080,862.
The Chicago Sun-Times suffered one of the larger daily circulation losses in that group, dropping more than 5 percent, to 488,405 from 518,094 in the 1994 period. Sunday circulation fell 7 percent, to 462,803, from 497,526.
At the Arlington Heights-based Daily Herald, daily circulation rose to 128,172 from 124,595. The Sunday numbers rose to 125,849 from 121,226. The Daily Southtown did not report its figures.
While the few circulation increases among the large papers were mostly modest, USA Today, the nation’s 2nd-largest daily behind The Wall Street Journal, reported a solid gain of 4 percent, to 1,523,610 from 1,465,936. The return of Major League Baseball after the strike-shortened 1994 season is believed to be partly responsible for the increase.
Among the top five daily newspapers–The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post–only USA Today reported a gain. Daily losses at the other papers ranged between 1 percent and 3 percent.
By themselves, circulation declines do not necessarily reflect an economic loss, especially when newspapers eliminate circulation that does not provide a return on the advertisers’ dollar. But consistent declines underscore the fundamental, decades-long problem newspapers have attracting and holding new readers.
“There’s been a long-term trend of declining newspaper readership, but what is different this year is that during these six months, newspapers were facing the brunt of newsprint price increases,” said John Morton, media analyst with Lynch, Jones & Ryan Inc. in Washington.
The Houston Chronicle enjoyed the largest leap in circulation, a 32 percent boost over last year. That, however, is almost entirely due to the death of its primary competition, the Houston Post, which folded in April. The Chronicle’s daily circulation jumped to 541,478, from 409,007, boosting its national standing to the 9th-largest daily paper from 16th.
Growth continued in the Dallas market, where the Dallas Morning News reported circulation rose to 500,358 from 491,480.
The New York Post continued to build on its recent daily circulation gains with a 2 percent increase, to 413,705 from 405,319.
The biggest losses were reported by Long Island Newsday, with an 8.5 percent drop in daily circulation, to 634,627 from 693,556. Newsday’s Sunday circulation fell 10 percent, to 702,031 from 779,207. Daily circulation at the Arizona Republic fell 7 percent, to 340,008 from 365,979.
The Detroit Free Press, which had been the nation’s 9th-largest paper, did not report circulation figures because of a strike that began July 13. Owner Knight-Ridder Inc. said this month that daily circulation was about 438,000, down more than 17 percent from the 1994 mid-year average.
