The latest survey of newspaper readership brings more bad news for the major dailies. As noted in previous reports more people are using the Web as their primary source of news – both for written, and increasingly, video reports. This will come as no surprise to those who watch closely the habits of news consumers. For decades, traditional newspapers have been fighting a mixed bag of "information infidels" – first radio news, then television news and now the Web and its varied sources of news and information.
In my judgment, newspapers remain the best source for news, especially for in-depth reporting and the sense of perspective and context. But, these same publications must begin to embrace the Web in new, more productive ways – using it to enhance their newsgathering capabilities. Which brings us to citizen journalism. In recent months CJ has been widely discussed, accused of everything from undermining the authority of trained journalists to providing a long-overdue alternative for a public that is increasingly suspicious of journalists.
As is almost always the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. CJ is hardly a replacement for the work done by trained reporters and editors and their abilities to report the unknown and uncover the unsavory. And, the suggestion that CJ has somehow undermined traditional journalism is specious, at best. If anything, CJ has served to amplify, to extend news coverage. And, it provides an invaluable service by focusing attention on subject matter deemed too localized for mass media distribution.
Thus, it seems clear that newspapers – if they are to slow the erosion of their readership – must engage citizen journalism in a way that will enhance what they already are fundamentally good at: finding and reporting news. By creatively encouraging citizens to share information, or deigning to publish links to this localized reporting, newspapers will come to be seen as agents of change and cooperation. And that beats the contempt with which much of the public holds mainstream journalism any day. If not, they can expect more of this: Newspaper Circulation Declines 2.6 Percent
Excerpt: Average paid circulation at Sunday newspapers fell 3.1 percent versus the same period a year ago, also a comparable decline with the last time circulation tallies were reported, the NAA said.
Addition:
Circulation for Top 20 Newspapers in USA
Mon May 08 2006 08:55:53 ET
Here it is. The paid weekday circulation of the nation's 20 largest newspapers for the six-month period ending March 31, 2006.
1. USA Today, 2,272,815, up 0.09 percent
2. The Wall Street Journal, 2,049,786, down 1 percent
3. The New York Times, 1,142,464, up 0.5 percent
4. Los Angeles Times, 851,832, down 5.4 percent
5. The Washington Post, 724,242, down 3.7 percent
6. New York Daily News, 708,477, down 3.7 percent
7. New York Post, 673,379, down 0.7 percent
8. Chicago Tribune, 579,079, up 0.9 percent
9. Houston Chronicle, 513,387, down 3.6 percent
10. The Arizona Republic, 438,722, down 2.1 percent
11. Newsday, Long Island, 427,771, down 2.7 percent
12. The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., 398,329, up 0.9 percent
13. San Francisco Chronicle, 398,246, down 15.6 percent
14. The Boston Globe, 397,288, down 8.5 percent
15. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 365,011, down 6.7 percent
16. Star Tribune of Minneapolis-St. Paul, 362,964, down 2.9 percent
17. The Philadelphia Inquirer, 350,457, down 5.1 percent
18. Detroit Free Press, 345,861, up 0.04 percent
19. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, 343,163, down 1.6 percent
20. St. Petersburg Times, Florida, 323,031, down 4.4 percent
