“The Olympian” sees continual decline in circulation

(Editors note:  The following story appeared in the October 2013 printed edition of “Ken’s Corner & The Real News.”   For subscription information call 456-8964.)

Circulation at our community’s only daily newspaper has continued its spiral downwards.

Total circulation for “The Olympian” now stands at 18,610, a drop of nearly 10 percent over last year’s reported circulation of 20,913.

As required by federal regulations, all newspapers in the United States, which receive lower postal rates, are required to publish their “Statement of Management and Ownership” every year in October.   This also includes their circulation figures.

I’ve been keeping track of “The Olympian’s” circulation figures this way since 1983.

The peak of “The Olympian’s” circulation came in 1999 when it reported 40,472 paid subscribers.

Like all newspapers across this country, our daily paper has suffered right along with them.

Those that have survived have been forced to cut staff and cut news coverage.  This holds true for “The Olympian.”

Last December, publisher George Le Masurier said that 165,000 residents read “The Olympian” in print and online every week.   He said that reaches 60 percent of the region’s population.

I suspect he’s quoting statistics that show several people read each copy of the paper.

I also suspect that he’s using some statistics about how many people access the paper’s web page each day.

Who am I to argue that 165,000 local people read “The Olympian” in print and on line each week?

Everyone can quote statistics that make their case. (See editor’s note below.)

All I know is that circulation of “The Olympian’s” printed product has declined significantly since the beginning of the 21stCentury.

But, I still subscribe, because it has information that I need.   It also has a lot of crap that I don’t really care about, but perhaps it always did.

I’m just sad that the glory days of the printed newspaper are past.

(Editor’s note:  I have 484 paid subscribers to the printed edition of “Ken’s Corner & The Real News” and I have 3000 to 5000 unique visitors to this web page each week.   Those are my statistics.)