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April 30, 2013RSS Feed
Top 25 U.S. Newspapers for March 2013
posted byNeal Lulofs, Executive Vice President

Today AAM released its semiannual newspaper Snapshot report (formerly known as FAS-FAX), which covers top-line circulation and audience figures from October 2012 through March 2013. Data for approximately 700 U.S. and Canadian newspapers is available via AAM’s database, the Media Intelligence Center.

Key Statistics

Daily circulation for the 593 U.S. newspapers reporting comparable averages for the March 2013 and March 2012 periods decreased 0.7 percent. Sunday circulation for the 519 newspapers reporting comparable data was down 1.4 percent.

Newspapers may include digital editions — tablet or smartphone apps, PDF replicas, metered or restricted-access websites, or e-reader editions — in their total circulation. Digital editions now account for 19.3 percent of U.S. daily newspapers’ total average circulation, up from 14.2 percent in March 2012.

Branded editions, which are newspaper-owned products such as commuter, community, alternative-language or Sunday-Select type newspapers, may also be included in total circulation. Branded editions account for 5.1 percent of U.S. newspapers’ total average circulation, up from 4.5 percent in March 2012.

Changes to Comparative Data  

Since the adoption of current reporting standards in 2010, publishers have modified their subscription types, incorporated branded editions and embraced digital platforms in lieu of print distribution on certain week days. Due to the many ways that newspapers now distribute and market their content -- including year-over-year changes at individual papers -- AAM cautions against drawing too many direct comparisons of the data in the Snapshot report.

In March, the AAM board granted an exception to allow a group of newspapers to exclude reporting a five-day average in this Snapshot file due to a reduction in their print distribution frequency. These newspapers are noted in the report with this message:

Due to print frequency reduction, per the AAM board, title is exempt from 5 day average. As a result, only comparative data is shown for Sunday (if applicable).

The AAM board recently considered these trends and gave initial approval to eliminate the five-day average requirement. If this is given final approval in July, five-day averages will be optional for the next newspaper Snapshot report in the fall. The Snapshot report will continue to show circulation metrics for each day newspapers with circulation over 50,000 are published in print or digital.   

Top 25 Lists

Below are a few charts pulled from the report: the top 25 Sunday and weekday U.S. newspapers by circulation and the top 25 U.S. newspapers with digital editions.

You can also review historical charts here.

 

Small AAM logo

Average Circulation at the Top 25 U.S. Daily Newspapers

 

Preliminary figures filed with AAM. Subject to audit.

 

Newspaper Name

Print

Total Digital

Total Average Circulation Excluding Branded

Total Branded Editions Print & Digital

Total Average Circulation

Percent Change

 
 
 

As of 03/31/13

As of 03/31/12

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL

1,480,725

898,102

2,378,827

 

2,378,827

2,118,315

12.3%

 

NEW YORK TIMES

731,395

1,133,923

1,865,318

 

1,865,318

1,586,757

17.6%

 

USA TODAY

1,424,406

249,900

1,674,306

 

1,674,306

1,817,446

-7.9%

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES

432,873

177,720

610,593

43,275

653,868

616,575

6.0%

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

360,459

155,706

516,165

 

516,165

579,636

-11.0%

 

NEW YORK POST

299,950

200,571

500,521

 

500,521

555,327

-9.9%

 

WASHINGTON POST

431,149

42,313

473,462

1,305

474,767

507,615

-6.5%

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

184,801

77,660

262,461

208,087

470,548

421,780

11.6%

 

DENVER POST

213,830

192,805

406,635

10,041

416,676

401,120

3.9%

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

368,145

46,785

414,930

 

414,930

414,590

0.1%

 

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

190,613

65,912

256,525

152,740

409,265

405,349

1.0%

 

NEWSDAY

265,782

111,962

377,744

 

377,744

397,973

-5.1%

 

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

231,233

102,341

333,574

26,677

360,251

346,129

4.1%

 

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

159,411

15,466

174,877

181,288

356,165

280,812

26.8%

 

NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

180,271

160,507

340,778

 

340,778

278,940

22.2%

 

TAMPA BAY TIMES

241,020

17,099

258,119

82,141

340,260

299,497

13.6%

 

CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

216,122

95,483

311,605

 

311,605

286,405

8.8%

 

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

184,827

67,958

252,785

54,046

306,831

325,289

-5.7%

 

MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

227,694

73,651

301,345

 

301,345

300,330

0.3%

 

ARIZONA REPUBLIC

285,927

7,048

292,975

665

293,640

321,600

-8.7%

 

HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER

125,726

68,993

194,719

73,525

268,244

209,915

27.8%

 

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

126,293

15,996

142,289

109,758

252,047

259,247

-2.8%

 

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

192,782

21,569

214,351

36,327

250,678

230,578

8.7%

 

BOSTON GLOBE

172,048

73,524

245,572

 

245,572

225,482

8.9%

 

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

149,523

6,704

156,227

74,867

231,094

174,251

32.6%

 

*This list is based on combined daily average circulation. San Jose Mercury News is no longer included due to reduction in print frequency and elimination of its five-day average, as noted above.

 

Small AAM logo

Average Circulation at the Top 25 U.S. Sunday Newspapers

 

Preliminary figures filed with AAM. Subject to audit.

 

Newspaper Name

Print

Total Digital

Total Average Circulation Excluding Branded

Total Branded Editions Print & Digital

Total Average Circulation

Percent Change

 
 
 

As of 03/31/13

As of 03/31/12

 

NEW YORK TIMES

1,254,506

1,067,923

2,322,429

 

2,322,429

2,003,247

15.9%

 

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

412,329

90,369

502,698

539,691

1,042,389

1,106,379

-5.8%

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES

775,641

178,369

954,010

 

954,010

952,762

0.1%

 

WASHINGTON POST

639,966

31,135

671,101

166,913

838,014

719,301

16.5%

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

706,840

74,484

781,324

 

781,324

779,440

0.2%

 

DETROIT FREE PRESS

416,986

6,055

423,041

285,073

708,114

668,332

6.0%

 

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

180,357

88,993

269,350

433,057

702,407

690,177

1.8%

 

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

293,383

66,164

359,547

338,170

697,717

702,848

-0.7%

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

431,519

156,386

587,905

56,974

644,879

658,696

-2.1%

 

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

342,744

7,231

349,975

294,312

644,287

402,602

60.0%

 

DENVER POST

363,655

165,612

529,267

97,608

626,875

595,361

5.3%

 

MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

461,696

53,382

515,078

64,793

579,871

544,186

6.6%

 

ARIZONA REPUBLIC

450,471

5,247

455,718

86,556

542,274

538,579

0.7%

 

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

362,752

95,413

458,165

19,148

477,313

517,311

-7.7%

 

CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

301,806

97,065

398,871

59,967

458,838

440,968

4.1%

 

NEWSDAY

324,182

134,510

458,692

 

458,692

495,416

-7.4%

 

NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

288,431

143,609

432,040

 

432,040

413,472

4.5%

 

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

290,115

20,099

310,214

99,582

409,796

364,454

12.4%

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

180,519

74,784

255,303

150,791

406,094

434,572

-6.6%

 

TAMPA BAY TIMES

383,693

18,729

402,422

 

402,422

432,202

-6.9%

 

BOSTON GLOBE

309,771

72,681

382,452

 

382,452

365,512

4.6%

 

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

285,794

9,883

295,677

80,997

376,674

385,283

-2.2%

 

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

230,628

14,634

245,262

111,139

356,401

353,572

0.8%

 

NEW YOK POST

249,567

104,333

353,900

 

353,900

434,392

-18.5%

 

SEATTLE TIMES

276,274

45,089

321,363

15,000

336,363

346,589

-3.0%

 

 

Small AAM logo

Top 25 U.S. Daily Newspaper Digital Editions

Preliminary figures filed with AAM. Subject to audit.

Newspaper Name

Digital Replica

Digital Nonreplica

Total Digital

Total Average Circulation as of 03/31/13

NEW YORK TIMES

36,456

1,097,467

1,133,923

1,865,318

WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

898,102

898,102

2,378,827

USA TODAY

121,368

128,532

249,900

1,674,306

NEW YORK POST

1,559

199,012

200,571

500,521

DENVER POST

51,927

140,878

192,805

416,676

LOS ANGELES TIMES

36,802

140,918

177,720

653,868

NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

23,419

137,088

160,507

340,778

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

26,626

129,080

155,706

516,165

NEWSDAY

 

111,962

111,962

377,744

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

79,395

22,946

102,341

360,251

LOS ANGELES INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY

45,288

51,418

96,706

157,161

CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

15,424

80,059

95,483

311,605

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS

66,499

17,601

84,100

208,280

DETROIT FREE PRESS

81,511

1,786

83,297

209,652

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

28,798

48,862

77,660

470,548

MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

49,593

24,058

73,651

301,345

BOSTON GLOBE

13,390

60,134

73,524

245,572

HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER

16,149

52,844

68,993

268,244

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

41,803

26,155

67,958

306,831

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

65,912

 

65,912

409,265

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

33,672

27,698

61,370

218,987

SALT LAKE CITY DESERET NEWS

11,995

44,760

56,755

103,190

RIVERSIDE CO. PRESS-ENTERPRISE

36,556

13,250

49,806

137,581

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

20,541

26,244

46,785

414,930

MIAMI HERALD

42,150

3,949

46,099

147,130

Accessing the Report

The full Snapshot report containing data on approximately 700 U.S. and Canadian newspapers is available in AAM’s Media Intelligence Center. AAM members will need their user name and password to access the report. This blog contains step-by-step directions for accessing the report in AAM’s new database.

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AAM Office Closed March 5th

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