Recognized channels for audited newspaper circulation data by the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), formerly known as the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), are:
Newspaper readership
Overall, consumers reading traditional print newspapers are declining as digital newspaper readership numbers are on the rise. Convenience and technology are key when consuming print now.
- 7% of A18+ read any daily newspaper
- 6% of A18+ read any one daily newspaper
- 1% of A18+ read any two or more daily newspapers
- 13% of A18+ read any Sunday newspaper
- 11% of A18+ read any one Sunday newspaper
- 2% of A18+ read any two or more Sunday newspapers
Newspaper consumers are now reading digitally.
- 54% of A18+ read or looked into any electronic version of a newspaper, including website.
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
- 218 Million adults 18+ access news and information from newspapers every month.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- 9% of U.S. adults have said that they prefer print newspapers for getting local news and information.
(Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 22-28, 2024)
- 33% of U.S. adults often or sometimes get local news and information from daily newspapers.
(Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 22-28, 2024)
- 80% of Americans believe that it is important to have a local newspaper in their community that provides news and information regarding their hometown, city, and country.
(Source: 2024 America's Newspaper Trusted Media Study, conducted by Coda Ventures)
- 74% of Americans believe that not having a local newspaper would seriously impact their community.
(Source: 2024 America's Newspaper Trusted Media Study, conducted by Coda Ventures)
- 51% of Americans believe that local newspapers are the most trusted media.
(Source: 2024 America's Newspaper, conducted by Coda Ventures)
- Almost 6 out of 10 adults 18+ use newspaper advertising to help them decide what brands, products and local services to buy.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- Today's newspaper readers:
- 49% are male
- 51% are female
- 78% are under the age of 65
- 67% of households earn $50k+ annually
- 57% are employed
- 38% are college grads or higher
- 35% have children in the home
- 71% lived in the community for 5+ years
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- Percentage of adults who consider newspapers to be very trustworthy/trustworthy:
- Adults 18-34 - 78%
- Adults 35-54 - 78%
- Adults 55+ - 74%
(Source: Katz Radio Group, Media Trust Study, June 2024)
- Among U.S. adults who get news from a local daily newspaper, percentage of those who primarily get that news via...:
- Print - 31%
- Website, app or email - 41%
- Social media posts - 25%
(Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 22-28, 2024)
- Adults 18+ who read the newspaper daily:
- 84% have purchased their most recent vehicle.
- 38% are likely to invest in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds in the next 1-2 months.
- 32% have used a tax preparation professional or service.
- 15% are likely to remodel a bathroom within a year.
- 29% spend $150+ a week on groceries.
- 25% have spent $1000+ on the internet in the last 6 months.
- 18% have visited a dermatologist in the last 1-2 months.
- 21% are likely to buy major appliances within the next year
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
- 66% of adults 18+ believe that publishing public notes in newspapers should be required.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- 57% of adults 18+ report that newspapers and newspaper sites are "more reliable" that city, county, or state websites for accessing public notes.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- 63% of adults 18+ believe that newspapers and newspaper websites are "more concerned about the community" than city,/count websites or state websites.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- 43% of adults 18+ feel like newspapers are the most accurate source of original news reporting.
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- Top 5 most read daily newspapers by U.S. adults
- Daily News - 32%
- New York Post - 28%
- USA Today - 25%
- The New York Times - 23%
- Los Angeles Times - 22%
(Source: Statista Global Consumer Survey, 2022)
- Top 10 largest newspapers in the U.S.:
- USA Today - Over 4 Million readers
- The Wall Street Journal - Over 2.5 Million readers
- The New York Times - Over 2 Million readers
- Los Angeles Times - Around 1 Million readers
- The Washington Post - Around 1 Million readers
- Chicago Tribune - Around 800,000 readers
- New York Post - Around 400,000 readers
- Newsday - Around 400,000 readers
- San Francisco Chronicle - Around 250,000 readers
- The Boston Globe - Around 200,000 readers
(Source: GeekforGeek, February 2024)
- Platforms adults 18+ use to access newspaper content:
- Website - 67%
- Social Media - 59%
- Daily/Sunday Newspaper - 51%
- App - 51%
- Email Newsletter - 50%
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- News consumption across platforms in 2024:
- Digital Devices:
- Often - 57%
- Sometimes - 29%
- Rarely - 8%
- Never - 6%
- Print Publications:
- Often - 6%
- Sometimes - 19%
- Rarely - 37%
- Never - 37%
(Source: Pew Research Center, Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15 - Aug. 4, 2024)
Digital news platforms preferences in 2024:
- 23% of U.S. adults prefer news websites or apps for getting news
- 18% of U.S. adults prefer social media for getting news
- 12% of U.S. adults prefer search for getting news
- 5% of U.S. adults prefer podcasts for getting news
(Source: Pew Research Center, Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 15 - Aug. 4, 2024)
- The total number of local newspapers (nondaily and daily) has decreased from 8,891 in 2005 to 5,095 in 2024.
(Source: Local News Initiative, The State of Local News 2024)
- Total number of local U.S. newspapers in 2023:
- Non-daily - 4,562
- Daily - 1,033
(Source: Local News Initiative, The State of Local News 2024)
- Newspaper Transactions and small buyers on the rise:
- Papers Traded - 268
- Total Transaction - 77
- Unique Buyers - 60
(Source: Local News Initiative, The State of Local News 2024)
- Top 10 largest owners in 2024 by number of papers owned:
- Gannett/Gatehouse - 310 total papers
- Alden Capital - 170 total papers
- Adams Publishing Group - 148 total papers
- Carpenter Media Group - 138 total papers
- Paxton Media Group - 130 total papers
- Lee Enterprises - 128 total papers
- Ogden Newspapers - 92 total papers
- CherryRoad Media - 81 total papers
- CNHI - 77 total papers
- Horizon Publications - 73 total papers
(Source: Local News Initiative, The State of Local News 2024)
Many print newspaper advertisers like to "target" consumers by placing their ads in special sections of the paper. However, among those adults who read print newspapers, only a small percentage of actually read every section – many readers will never be exposed to advertising.
- Weekday papers
- Front page - 21%
- International/National News - 13%
- Local News – 19%
- Business/Finance - 7%
- Classified Advertising – 4%
- Comics - 8%
- Editorial Page - 9%
- Entertainment/Lifestyle - 8%
- Fashion - 3%
- Food/Cooking – 8%
- Health - 7%
- Home/Home Design/Furnishings/Gardening - 4%
- Movie Listings & Reviews - 4%
- Science & Technology - 6%
- Sports - 9%
- Travel - 5%
- TV Listings - 3%
- Weather - 9%
- Advertisements - 4%
- Circulars/Inserts/Fliers - 6%
- Sunday/Weekend papers
- Front page - 21%
- International/National News - 13%
- Local News - 17%
- Business/Finance - 7%
- Classified Advertising – 4%
- Comics - 10%
- Editorial page - 8%
- Entertainment/Lifestyle - 9%
- Fashion - 3%
- Food/Cooking - 9%
- Health - 7%
- Home/Home Design/Furnishings/Gardening - 5%
- Movie Listings & Reviews -5%
- Science & Technology - 7%
- Sports - 9%
- Travel - 6%
- TV Listings - 3%
- Weather - 9%
- Advertisements - 4%
- Circulars/Inserts/Fliers - 8%
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
Attitudes towards newspapers of A18+
- 50% say newspapers are a good source of learning
- 478% say that reading a newspaper makes them think
- 48% say that newspapers keep them informed/up to date
- 15% say that newspaper give them good ideas
- 17% say that they enjoy ads in newspaper
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
- Share of Americans who read newspapers daily within the past 2 weeks as of June 2023, by age:
- 18-29: 16%
- 30-49: 24%
- 50-64: 16%
(Source: Statista, June 2023)
- Percentage (%) of U.S. adults who say they currently buy physical newspapers, by age:
- 18-29: 11%
- 30-44: 20%
- 45-64: 22%
- 65+: 37%
- Overall: 23%
(Source: Marketing Charts, U.S. Adults' Print Newspaper Purchases, February 2023)
- Ways that different generational groups would like to have newspaper content delivered:
- Gen Z (18-24):
- Social Media - 54%
- Daily News Websites - 45%
- Breaking news emails - 33%
- Millenials (25-39):
- Social Media - 48%
- Daily News Websites - 45%
- Breaking news emails - 37%
- Gen X (40-59):
- Daily News Websites - 47%
- Breaking news emails - 41%
- Home delivered daily paper - 41%
- Boomers (60-74):
- Daily News Websites - 43%
- Breaking news emails - 38%
- Home delivered daily paper - 31%
- Silent Gen (75+):
- Home delivered daily paper - 40%
- Daily News Websites - 38%
- Breaking news emails - 36%
(Source: America's Newspaper, 2023 Local Newspaper Study)
- Digital newspapers read in the last 30 days by ethnicity:
- White: 53%
- Black: 59%
- Asian: 69%
- Other: 57%
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
- Those who used an app to read a newspaper in the last 30 days by age:
- 18-24 - 7%
- 25-54 - 42%
- 55-64 - 19%
- 65+ - 33%
(Source: 2024 MRI-Simmons Spring Doublebase)
Revenue:
Newspaper companies have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. Pew Research Center analyzed six publicly traded newspaper companies that own over 300 daily newspapers and found an overall 42% decrease in ad revenue.
- Ad revenue share of decrease by company:
- Gannett: -35%
- NY Times: -44%
- Tribune: -48%
- McClatchy: -46%
- Lee: -37%
- Belo: -40%
(Source: Pew Research Center, The financial state of the U.S. news media in the second quarter of 2020)
- Overall newspaper ad revenue is expected to coninuously decline between this this 2018 ($15.8B) and 2022 ($12.6B)
- Digital advertising in the newspaper market is simply not growing quickly enough (2017-2022 CAGR of 2.2%) to offset print advertising losses (CAGR of -10.4%)
- In 2018, print newspaper ad revenues accounted for 33% while digital is expected to grow to 45.1% by 2022
- Each of the three major segments of print advertising (classified, national and retail) is predicted to drop by an annual rate of 9%, with classified having the worst outlook of -11.0%
(Source: Marketing Charts; US Online & Traditional Media Advertising Outlook, 2018-2022)
