Business - Mixed bag for area newspapers

According to the report, most of the local daily newspapers, including Times Union, The Leader Herald, The Saratogian, The Daily Gazette and The Troy Record have seen declines over the past year in their weekday editions. The report took numbers from six months of circulation in April to September in 2007 and 2008. Even the top newspapers in the nation are seeing a decline in circulation, including the New York Times with a 4.12 percent decrease, the Los Angeles Times with a 5.13 percent decrease and the Washington Post with a 3.19 percent decrease.

On the other hand, free and weekly newspapers are seeing an upside, according to Michelle Rea, executive director for the New York Press Association.

“Circulation for weekly newspapers is not dropping—in fact they are rising,” she said. “The reason for this trend is people aren’t reading daily newspapers on a day-to-day basis anymore. The flow of a weekly newspaper fits into peoples’ routines better today.”

As for Saratoga TODAY, distribution has risen since the newspaper began in 2006 to more than 10,000 copies distributed weekly.

“We are very happy with our growth over our first 2.5 years of operation,” said Saratoga TODAY publisher Chad Beatty. “We have increased our distribution by 25 percent since 2006, now delivering over 10,000 copies weekly, and look forward to continued growth in the years ahead.”

Diane Kennedy, president of the New York Newspaper Publishers Association, believes the drops in paid daily circulation can be attributed to free online editions and pass-along papers, papers that are read and given to someone else.

“The whole industry is going through a time of change. Even broadcast news outlets are seeing a decline and I see the Internet as a huge cause,” she said.

However, Kennedy said she believes that the newspaper business is becoming agile and are innovating to respond to the declines in circulation.

“Online editions of newspapers and blogging are making newspapers more interactive with readers—they can actually participate in the newspaper by leaving comments, and submitting blogs or photos,” she said.

In a study performed by the Newspaper Association of America, newspapers have seen a 16 percent increase in online readers with an average of 3.5 billion page views per month.

“As news surrounding the economy and the presidential campaign rivets the nation, record audiences are trusting newspaper Web sites for comprehensive, up-to-the-minute reporting and analysis on the events that impact their lives,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm in a statement. “Whether in print or online, newspapers are the top local brands that readers turn to for information that will help guide them through some challenging issues facing consumers today.”

As for the circulation in print newspapers, Kennedy said she believes the short term could negatively affect advertising revenues but the problems will eventually shake out.

“Newspapers will weather the storm. People need their news, and they can’t have a democracy without newspapers. They find out what is going on through news outlets. There would be no participation in government without newspapers,” she said.

Accordingly, weekly newspapers are actually prospering.