More Bad News at L.A. Times’ Parent

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Hurt in part by declining home delivery numbers at the Los Angeles Times, Tribune Co.’s January circulation revenues fell 7.6 percent from the year-earlier period, to $58.3 million.


The actual circulation numbers were not released, but the declining performance came after ongoing weakness in the paper’s circulation. The Times posted a 5.6 percent year-over-year drop in un-audited Monday-to-Saturday paid circulation for the six months ended Sept. 30.


In a statement released in October, Times Publisher John Puerner attributed the circulation decline to the impact of the national “Do Not Call” registry law on telemarketing sales and a deliberate decision to reduce third-party sponsored home delivery and single copy bulk sales. Tribune Co., officials there did not return calls to discuss the latest results.


The paper has made efforts to rein in costs, and Edward Atorino, a publishing analyst at Fulcrum Global Partners LLC, said the declines could be nearing an end.


Tribune, which also owns the Chicago Tribune, Newsday in New York and the Hoy chain of Spanish-language papers, said January publishing revenues were $371 million, up 2 percent over last year, and print advertising revenues were $288.7 million, 3.9 percent higher than last year.


The Times’ volume of full-run ads was 232,000 pieces, down 5 percent from last January. Part-run, or ads that run only in certain geographic regions, was at 495,000 pieces, down 4 percent from a year ago. January preprint ads at the Times numbered 346,041, up 29 percent from 2004.

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