Why Big Newspapers Applaud Some Declines in Circulation

[applegrove]

Why Big Newspapers Applaud Some Declines in Circulation
New York Times
By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Published: October 1, 2007

As the newspaper industry bemoans falling circulation, major papers around the country have a surprising attitude toward a lot of potential readers: Don’t bother.

The big American newspapers sell about 10 percent fewer copies than they did in 2000, and while the migration of readers to the Web is usually blamed for that decline, much of it has been intentional. Driven by marketing and delivery costs and pressure from advertisers, many papers have decided certain readers are not worth the expense involved in finding, serving and keeping them.

“It’s a rational business decision of newspapers focusing on quality circulation rather than quantity, shedding the subscribers who cost more and generate less revenue,” said Colby Atwood, president of Borrell Associates, a media research firm.

That rational business decision is being driven in part by advertisers, who have changed their own attitudes toward circulation.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/01/business/media/01paper.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1191269066-tUQE+RrNEAfLKqyX+4VCBw