PD CIRCULATION FIGURES ARE NOT GOOD

Submitted by Roldo on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 12:39.

The Plain Dealer circulation figures continue an unfortunate dizzying decline in the tens of thousands over a short period of time. No answers seem available to stop the drain.

 
Editor & Publisher reported a Plain Dealer decline in daily circulation of 11.7 percent with an 8.15 percent drop for Sunday circulation. Total newspaper sales were reported at level of 291,630 daily and 393,352 Sunday. The figures account for newspaper circulation during the six months ending March 31, 2009. The percentages compare this year to the same period a year ago.
 
 
The figures are compiled by the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Other major newspapers suffered circulation declines, according to the report.
 
 
But it is just more bad news for the Plain Dealer. Circulation figures from 2007 show a more precipitous and alarming fall in the Plain Dealer’s readership.
 
Numbers cited by Editor & Publisher for the six month period ending September 2007, the decline at the PD looks even worse than the latest figures suggest.
 
Daily circulation at that time was 334,195, compared to the 291,630 in the latest figures. That shows shrinkage of 42,565 customers. Sunday circulation for September, 2007, was 445,795. The latest figures show of 393,352 customers. The decline was a sharp 52,443 in Sunday news readers.
 
The Plain Dealer faces a continuing decline in readers as the Northeast Ohio economy continues to fair poorly.
 
E&P noted the Bureau’s figures show “that the largest metros continue to shed daily and Sunday circulation – now at a record rate.
 
Newspaper owners and managers seem at a loss about how to stop the drain of readers as competition from new sources, including the internet, eat away at their customer and advertising base.
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building a new, humongous

Submitted by dweller1 on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 15:02.

building a new, humongous production facility in Brookpark was a smart move. eh?

PD

Submitted by PoorRichard2 on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 15:48.

What we have here, is a failure to communicate.

The PD has lost it's credibility with Joe Citizen. Reporters don't report. Readers don't read. They have tried sensationalism. The news is on the City's streets. Instead of news managers, they should try to be news reporters.

Poor Richard, you've got it

Submitted by Roldo on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 16:54.

Poor Richard, you've got it right. The PD could do with a lot fewer editors and more on the street reporters. And get some of those lazy columnists to get out into the streets, too.

It goes for the TV news also. I watched the chirppy Donovan leading off the Ch. 3 news with the Browns. Why not wait for the sports section? Do we really want five minutes of Browns propaganda as the news lead?

There's simply not enough real stuff in the papers and on TV  to make people want more.

But they don't seem to be able to change. It's a matter of self-fullfilling prophesy as they continue to do the same thing that doesn't work.