New York – Average weekday circulation at U.S. newspapers fell 2.6 percent during the six-month period ending in September in the latest sign of trouble in the newspaper business, an industry group reported Monday.
Sunday circulation also fell 3.1 percent at newspapers reporting to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, according to an analysis of the data by the Newspaper Association of America.
The declines from the same period a year ago show an acceleration of a years-long trend of falling circulation at daily newspapers as more people, especially young adults, turn to the Internet for news and as newspapers cut back on less-profitable circulation.
In the previous six-month reporting period ending in March, weekday circulation fell 1.9 percent at U.S. daily newspapers and Sunday circulation fell 2.5 percent. By comparison, a year ago newspapers reported a 0.9 percent decline in weekday circulation and a 1.5 percent fall on Sundays.
Circulation at the country’s three largest newspapers was relatively stable in the most recent reporting period, but many others showed significant declines.
