Competitive information: Most major newspapers have seen double-digit circulation declines over the past year. | Story

These are trying times for most traditional media, but recent data released by the Audit Media Alliance suggests that newspapers are struggling on a larger scale.

Based on the circulation of the top 25 U.S. daily newspapers, PressGazette reported that in the 12 months ending in September 2023, all 25 newspapers saw a decline in circulation year-over-year, with an average circulation of decreased by 14%. This compares with a 14% decline in the 12 months to March 2023.

Of the 25 publicly listed newspapers, all but three – the New York Post in 3rd place, the Honolulu Star Advertiser in 11th place, and the San Francisco Chronicle in 15th place – saw their circulation decline by double digit percentages. . News Corp.’s Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, the top two newspapers, and the fourth-ranked Washington Post all had about average declines, but four daily newspapers saw circulation declines of more than 20%. are doing. Tampa Bay Times (-24%), No. 20 Buffalo News (-32%), No. 22 Cleveland Plain Dealer (-21%) and No. 23 Denver Post (-25%).

Below are the top 10 newspapers by circulation and year-on-year decline.

Wall Street Journal – 555,200 (-14%)

New York Times – 267,600 (-13%)

New York Post – 131,200 (-8%)

Washington Post – 127,700 (-13%)

USA Today – 121,600 (-16%)

Los Angeles Times – 105,700 (-17%)

Star Tribune (Minneapolis) – 86,900 (-12%)

Newsday (Long Island, NY) – 83,500 (-10%)

Chicago Tribune – 73,000 (-16%)

Seattle Times – 71,700 (-13%)

The average daily circulation of the top 25 publications totaled 2.3 million copies in the six months ending in September. This compares to 2.7 million copies sold in the previous year and 2.6 million copies sold in the six months to March 2023.

While these are notable declines, PressGazette’s analysis notes that this doesn’t tell the whole story, and that “data on digital subscriptions paints a more encouraging picture.” Many major publishers are investing in securing digital readership revenue, and several titles in this ranking have built large digital subscriber bases. The report cites the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as having 9.7 million and 3.5 million digital subscribers in December 2023. Each.