Research and Data

Top 25 U.S. Newspapers for September 2012

The FAS-FAX report includes top-line circulation data for all newspaper members for the six months ending Sept. 30, 2012. Newspapers participating in Audience-FAX have additional print and online readership and website activity data included in the report.

Key Statistics

Daily circulation for the 613 U.S. newspapers reporting comparable multiday averages decreased 0.2 percent. Circulation for the 528 newspapers reporting comparable Sunday data increased 0.6 percent. On average, digital circulation now accounts for 15.3 percent of newspapers’ total circulation mix, up from 9.8 percent in September 2011. Digital circulation may be tablet or smartphone apps, PDF replicas, metered or restricted-access websites, or e-reader editions. Branded editions, newspaper-owned products such as commuter, community, alternative-language or Sunday-Select type newspapers, make up 5.6 percent of newspapers’ total average circulation, up from 4.2 percent in September 2011.

Today’s report only includes top-line information on circulation categories like digital and branded editions. More in-depth information, such as digital distribution platforms, will be available as newspapers’ publisher’s statements are released. ABC members may also subscribe to the eFAS-FAX analyzer tool.

What’s Included in the Report

ABC rules allow newspapers more flexibility to develop publishing plans to cater to their markets and report these expanded platforms to ABC. As a refresher about what’s included in average circulation:

• Paid/verified circulation. Paid circulation includes copies purchased by an individual recipient or a specialized distribution channel (such as business/traveler). Verified circulation includes copies such as third-party  and copies distributed to schools and newspaper employees.
• Branded editions are editions of the newspaper that are published at least weekly, have a different name than the member newspaper, but are labeled to include the word “edition.” Branded editions may include commuter, community or alternative-language newspapers.
• Digital editions are distinguished between replica and nonreplica, which both need to have restricted access. Replica editions must have the same editorial, layout and ROP advertising as the print version. Nonreplica editions must maintain the print version’s basic identity, although its editorial and advertising content may differ.

This is also the first FAS-FAX report to include total consumer accounts, which represent unduplicated subscriber accounts. It’s important to note that this figure does not include newsstand sales or verified circulation (except requested home delivery). Because newspapers have various publishing plans, it is important to understand the different categories on the report and how those programs may impact a newspaper’s overall circulation. Due to the many ways that newspapers now distribute and market their content — metered paywalls, mobile apps, bundled subscriptions, branded editions — ABC cautions against drawing too many direct comparisons of the data in the FAS-FAX report.

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.

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