L.A. Times Circulation Down
Many readers have written me to report that the L.A. Times‘s circulation is severely down:
Circulation at Tribune Co. papers will show declines in the next Fas-Fax report, with the most troubling plunge at the Los Angeles Times, Tribune Publishing President Scott Smith confirmed during a conference call with analysts this morning.
Though executives declined to break out individual paper’s Fas-Fax numbers, which are due out in May, Smith acknowledged the Times will drop slightly more than 5.5%.
Smith blamed the decline on the paper’s reliance on telemarketing:
When asked why the paper is experiencing such steep circ losses compared to the competition’s — the Los Angeles Daily News, for example, was flat last period — Smith explained the Times relied too heavily on telemarketing. That, along with the implementation of tighter controls on field sales, contributed to the drop-off.
People writing me have a different theory: that the Times‘s troubles are directly attributable to its pattern of distorting facts to support a leftist perspective. I don’t know whether this is true or not. But what would be the harm in improving the paper’s accuracy?
It may be best for good will and credibility if the LATimes looked at reporting the facts as ‘necessary’, while sneaking in opinions, perspective, bias and sloppy journalism are ‘luxuries’. Then when money gets tight, they can cut out the ‘luxuries’ and concentrate on the ‘necessities’.
Because that would be reasonable and obvious, they won’t do that until they’re desparate and near bankruptcy. But that’s another win-win for us and it would take a Karl Rove conspiracy to pull it off. (Ehhhhxcellent!)
Jim (f8cdb6) — 4/16/2005 @ 11:58 amYes– there is bullshit and there is truth? On which side stands the LA Times? Anyone with a brain can figure that one out — the time LA Times stands with Bullshit!
To drop this discussion to the irrelevance of telemarketing is not only disgusting, it is totally contemptible! The powers that be might start with a purge of the Robert Scheer stalino-fascist apologists. The necessary actions easily flow from there. Only after the Stalino-fascisist crew is exorcised from the Times will that newspaper ever rise out of the sewer!
Mescalero (b56000) — 4/16/2005 @ 6:59 pmIt could be that most people that would normally read a main stream wood pulp based daily or sunday newspaper have simply moved to more modern media – like the blogosphere and XML – RSS feed electronic newspapers.
Also, electronic media is quicker, cheaper and you can filter content much better.
Old guard newspapers like the L.A Times are a dying breed.
Flap
Flap (bef92f) — 4/16/2005 @ 9:03 pmHere is the Blue Monday Roundup
The Blue State Conservatives (d881ce) — 4/18/2005 @ 1:58 amTime for this week’s edition of the Blue Monday Roundup where we here at TBSC highlight some of the best conservative blogging from Blue States. If you blog from a blue state and want your blog listed here, read this…
Nobody cares about Telemarketing, The LA Times , or any of that Jazz- So please stick it where the Sun dont shine-
Danny Alexander (88e83c) — 10/16/2005 @ 7:51 pmLA Times was a good newspaper, still has good related articles, but I would cut back the excessive paper- and have better offers – of pricing etc. Outsource all Telemarketers- and find better Marketing Tactics. Danny- Canoga Park, Ca.
Danny Alexander (88e83c) — 10/16/2005 @ 7:57 pm[…] Michelle Malkin: THE LA TIMES GOES DOWN, DOWN, DOWN Today’s poor earning report follows several previous reports of declining circulation at the LA Times. […]
FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog » Peggy Noonan Watch: Decline of the Liberal Media Monopoly (baa0b4) — 1/20/2006 @ 7:58 am