Newspaper Circulation Continues To Plummet

It is no secret that the newspaper industry is struggling right now.  The latest data from the Audit Bureau of Circulations shows the average daily circulation of U.S. newspapers declined 7% in the last six months ending March 31st, 2009.  Many were hopeful this data would suggest leveling off or at least a slower rate of decline.

Among 395 daily U.S. newspapers, the average circulation totaled 34.4 million, compared with a total of 37.1 million in the March 2008 reporting period, according to preliminary figures, the ABC said.

Some of the biggest losers during the past 6 months (circulation) include:

• New York Post -  down 21%
• Atlanta Journal Constitution – down 20%
• Newark Star-Ledger – down 17%
• San Francisco Chronicle – down 16%
• Boston Globe – down 14%

Both the Boston Globe and the San Francisco Chronicle are being threatened by their parent companies with the possibility of closure unless drastic cuts are made.

The Wall Street Journal reported it was the only one of the 25 largest daily newspapers in the country to post an increase in daily circulation for the period, with a 0.6 percent gain.

What Do Newspapers Do Well?

This discussion came up in my mass communications course this semester, what do newspapers do better than any other media source?  The resounding answer from the class was local coverage.  Newspapers are very involved in local government and smaller stories within their communities compared to television stations and radio.  However, I would argue that very aggressive ‘citizen journalist’ bloggers could challenge them for that crown, but blogging is just that…blogging.

Some suggest that newspapers allow for a stronger more conscious thinking that dives deeper than your able to through a digital medium.  They cite your brain is constantly distracted by the other potential information you could find online, with the Internet there is no beginning and no end.  I see validity to this point.  I find reading online vs. reading an actual book to be very different experiences.  Our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter by the year and people want more and more information as fast as they can consume it.  Yes, they are different but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.

What will be the ultimate fate of newspapers?  I don’t think they will completely go away.  Newspapers will go through immense change which will rattle the industry through-and-through.  As the month’s go by the industry needs to continue to make themselves more adaptable and accepting to change.  Right now is not the time to be afraid of change.

How have newspapers fared on a more macro view?  Here is graph showing the total number of newspapers and circulation dating back to 1940.

Newspaper circulation graph