Newspaper circulation slides nationwide (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | April 27, 2010 | Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera

[Zakeet]

The Chronicle said Monday that remaking its business model by charging more for the newspaper has, as expected, produced a sharp drop in circulation even as it has improved the paper's bottom line.

For the six months ending in March, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported Monday that The Chronicle's daily circulation declined 22.7 percent, from 312,118 to 241,330, the largest decline among the nation's top 25 newspapers.

Weekday circulation nationwide went down 8.7 percent, and 6.5 percent on Sundays.

[Snip]

The top U.S. newspapers by average weekday and Sunday circulation from October 2009 through March. The percentage changes are from the same six-month span last year.

1. Wall Street Journal: 2,092,523 weekday (up 0.5 percent); no Sunday edition.

2. USA Today: 1,826,622 weekday (down 13.6 percent); no Sunday edition.

3. New York Times: 951,063 weekday (down 8.5 percent); 1,376,230 Sunday (down 5.2 percent).

4. Los Angeles Times: 616,606 weekday (down 14.7 percent); 941,914 Sunday (down 7.6 percent).

5. Washington Post: 578,482 weekday (down 13.1 percent); 797,679 Sunday (down 8.2 percent).

The Chronicle is No. 24, with a weekday circulation of 241,330 (down 22.7 percent); and a Sunday circulation of 286,121 (down 19.3 percent).

[sergeantdave]

Forget political bias. We are seeing the worst writing ever in daily print publications in the history of America. These hacks can’t put together logical strings from one end of the story to the other, and the boring passive voice is a big snoozer.

The man wuz robbed because he wuz walking home late after hiz late night shift where he wuz working. The victim, who wuz walking on a dark street, said he wuz approached by man in a black suit who wuz wearing a black hoodie.

“I am robbing you,” shouted the robber while he wuz holding the evil glock gun sideways, which wuz loaded with cop-killing bullets, which wuz capable of penetrating an engine block at 1,000 yards.

I wuz terrified, said the victim, who wuz walking home from work after he wuz done working where he wuz working. The victim gave the robber his money and the crook wuz seen running off with the victim’s money with 3rd street toward Maple Avenue.

The police wuz describing that the robber wuz a man that wuz 18 to 54 years old. He wuz wearing hair, had a nose, eyes and mouth. He wus also sporting two arms and legs. When he opened hiz mouth, there wuz words coming out.

If anyone has information on this robber that wuz doing this robbery, call the police who wuz on the scene 5 hours after the robbery wuz committed.

[vis a vis]

Oh, I know how awful they are. Most of the articles have New York Times origins. As my father said when he left New York in the early 60’s——I didn't leave anything there and I am not going back to get it. (no offense intended to any New York FReepers).
I just got real tired of seeing the “victim of the day” story on Page 1 everyday when there were always more pressing stories than that. It was one of the biggest reasons I started lurking here on FreeRepublic-—I had always read a newspaper and missed it as part of my morning routine. However, FreeRepublic keeps me involved for a bigger part of my day than the paper ever did. (I am a FReepaholic and proud of it). However, I love it here and have gotten quite an education from all the knowledgeable people that inhabit this place. I have found my home.

[bert]

......# Wall Street Journal: 2,092,523 weekday (up 0.5 percent); no Sunday edition......

Once again I point out to FReepers that when Prince bin Talal made an investment in News Corp, he was demonstrating his excellence as a businessman

[Bobby_Taxpayer]

Maybe when they are all out of a job, they can then reflect on all the BS they published that got them AND us into this mess. Good ridance to the NY and LA Crimes. Not worth the paper it is printed on, nor the time it take to read the crapola.

[Rum Tum Tugger]

I continued to subscribe to the Tampa Tribune because it was the cheapest thing I could find to line the bottom of my guinea pig cage.

Finally, about two months ago, I had enough and canceled my subscription after 30+ years. But it's still being delivered every day. Guess the delivery person has more papers than he can easily throw away.

[vis a vis]

Ha-I never subscribed to the Trib—I just know that the Sunday paper is 50 cents and has alot of grocery coupons in it. I buy it at the box on the corner ( no sales tax that way)It makes a fine weed block.

I have also cancelled newspapers and had them delivered to me long after the cancellation.

[bert]

....Richard Perleman the dirt.....

Monica Lewinsky

Perelman stumbled into the Lewinsky scandal. In early 1998, Vernon Jordan recommended Monica Lewinsky to Perelman as a potential employee, pitching her as a very smart young woman. This was not business as usual. While Jordan was on the Revlon board of directors, Jordan rarely spoke to Perelman and had never recommended anyone to him. Jordan indicated he’d already talked about Lewinsky with MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings vice president, Jaymie Durnan. Durnan told Perelman that he had determined there was no position available for Lewinsky at Perelman’s company, but that he had forwarded Lewinsky’s resume to Revlon. Perelman claims to have been as surprised as anyone when he found out about the Lewinsky-Clinton connection later that month.[104] He found that Revlon had already made a job offer which was quickly withdrawn, but it was too late; Revlon and Perelman were all over the scandal.[105]

[Rum Tum Tugger]

Wow!

Today's Tampa Tribune reports that weekday circulation fell 18% in the six months ended March 31.

Sunday circulation fell 8.7%.

Can't see how the Trib can stay around much longer.

[abb]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/27/BU8D1D533A.DTL
Newspaper circulation slides nationwide

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-27/sumner-redstone-says-murdoch-s-newspapers-are-destined-to-fail.html
Sumner Redstone Says Murdoch’s Newspapers Will Fail

[I still care]

FR is great, isn’t it? I am also a NY expat, and miss a few things - the food, the family, the Italian Fish Night!

But other than that I have become a southerner at heart. I love the “God, Guns, Freedom, and Apple Pie” attitude down here. And I live on FR. Just now on Bay News 9 they are all over the oil rig story and how it’s going to destroy our beaches - had to turn it off - anything to stop energy exploration here! They know people want to drill, they must destroy our will to do so.

Frankly I don’t see how these newspapers have been in business as long as they have. Everyone I know hates them.

[abb]

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=126911
‘Variety,’ ‘Newsday’: Pay Walls Mean Fewer Page Views

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/04/cbs-films-needs-a-big-makeover-after-its-j-lo-backup-plan-stumbles-at-the-box-office.html
CBS Films needs a big makeover after its J.Lo ‘Back-Up Plan’ stumbles at the box office

[abb]

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2010/04/26/daily23.html
Familiar bylines leaving The Buffalo News

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/from_the_source/Newspapers_blue_collar__unions_warn_future_owner_against_mass_layoffs.html
Newspapers’ blue collar unions warn future owner against mass layoffs