D-G, News Circ Numbers Rise

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette had an average daily paid circulation of 35,513 for the six months ended March 31. That’s for Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties combined.
The Morning News had an average daily paid circulation of 32,856 for the same period for its five-county designated market area, up about 1 percent. Besides the four counties mentioned above, The Morning News numbers also included McDonald County in Missouri, which the newspaper added to its DMA last year.
All numbers are as filed with the Audit Bureau of Circulations, but as of press time, the D-G’s numbers were not officially published by the ABC.
The Business Journal used the DMA numbers to get an apples-to-apples comparison with the D-G, which circulates statewide and to 12 counties with its Northwest Arkansas edition. The Business Journal also includes Saturdays in daily circulation averages.
TMN showed an increase of 661 in its Sunday edition while the D-G showed a drop of 278.
Hector Cueva, the D-G’s director of circulation, said the Sunday drop reflects a change in how the company allocated circulation in West Siloam Springs, which is technically in Oklahoma.
“We’re growing in the categories that we want to grow in,” Cueva said. “And more importantly, we’re growing where our advertisers want us to grow.”
Stephen Kelsey, director of circulation for TMN, said 78 percent of the Sunday increase was in home delivery as opposed to less reliable rack sales.