In 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle’s weekday circulation stood at 527,000; today it is at about 251,782.(Eric Risberg/Associated Press
)
As circulation falls, paper goes glossy
In 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle’s weekday circulation stood at 527,000; today it is at about 251,782.(Eric Risberg/Associated Press
)
SAN FRANCISCO - With its circulation falling faster than any other major US newspaper’s, the San Francisco Chronicle is determined to set the pace in a flashier way: It’s about to become the first general-interest daily printed on high-quality glossy paper.
The new look, scheduled to debut Monday, is part of the Chronicle’s effort to create a more visually appealing paper as readers turn to the Internet.
Besides making the Chronicle more pleasing to read, the magazine-style glossy paper could help the newspaper attract advertisers looking to make their products shine.
The Chronicle has been hard hit by the migration to the Internet. Its weekday circulation plunged nearly 26 percent from a year ago to an average of 251,782 during the April-September period.
Chronicle management says the newspaper is in far better financial shape than it was last year, when the publication lost about $50 million. The turnaround has been driven by painful cost-cutting that eliminated hundreds of jobs this year and by higher newspaper prices.
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