Posted by chicagomedia.org on April 28, 2009 at 19:19:16:
In Reply to: U.S. daily newspaper circulation declines posted by chicagomedia.org on April 27, 2009 at 18:44:17:
Circulation for U.S. newspapers, Chicago Tribune declines
By Phil Rosenthal | Tribune reporter
April 28, 2009
Paid circulation of the nation's daily newspapers for the six-month period ended March dropped 7.1 percent weekdays and 5.4 percent on Sundays compared with the same stretch a year earlier, according to figures released Monday by Schaumburg-based Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Chicago Tribune paid circulation declined 7.5 percent weekdays, to 501,203 from 541,663, and 4.5 percent on Sundays, to 858,256 from 898,703.
The Chicago Sun-Times, which benefited from a Sunday price hike at the Tribune, reported a 2.8 percent increase in its Sunday paid average circulation, rising to 254,379 from 247,469. Its weekday circulation remained essentially flat, declining 0.04 percent, to 312,141 from 312,274.
The Arlington Heights-based Daily Herald's Sunday average declined 6.6 percent, to 131,789 from 141,091, and the weekday average fell 8.9 percent, to 130,404 from 143,151.
Tribune increases from sales of post-election and post-inauguration editions, as well as increases from conversion of its non-subscription weekday edition to a commuter-friendly tabloid-size format in the middle of the ABC reporting period, were more than offset by a series of factors, including the Sunday price increase and a major redesign, a company executive said.
Overall, the Chicago Tribune Media Group, which includes niche publications such as the free commuter edition RedEye, the high school paper TheMash, TribLocal and Spanish-language Hoy and Fin de Semana, reported its distribution was up 3.1 percent on weekends and remained flat Monday through Friday, with the group's online traffic up 27 percent in unique visitors.