Newspaper circ down

Editor and Publisher:

Just like downtrodden Charlie Brown on Halloween, it looks like many newspapers are going to get a bag of rocks when the Audit Bureau of Circulations releases the fall 2006 circulation numbers on Oct. 30.

Earlier this week, E&P reported that overall circulation data for the upcoming FAS-FAX are trending much like past reporting periods, with industry sources expecting daily down 2.5% and Sunday down 3%, and some major metros are reporting record losses. Now we have the actual numbers for several papers.

When E&P contacted one circulation director about the rumor of possible gains at his paper he quipped: "Is it April Fools?"

One public company issued advanced data. In a press release for 3Q results, Belo reported The Dallas Morning News showed steep declines for the six-month period ending September 2006. Daily circulation dropped 13% while Sunday slipped 12%. The company attributes the losses to a cut in statewide circulation and in third-party advertiser sponsored copies.

Daily circulation at The Providence (R.I.) Journal is down 2.5% and Sunday decreased 8%. The sharp decline in Sunday circulation is due to the company weeding out third-party circulation.

The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif., lost 4% of its daily circulation. Sunday is down slightly.