Journal is top-selling US newspaper
NEW YORK - The Wall Street Journal has surpassed USA Today as the top-selling US daily newspaper.
The Audit Bureau of Circulations won’t release figures until Oct. 26, but the Journal said it gained about 12,000 subscribers in the April-September period, compared with a year earlier. That puts its average Monday-Friday circulation at 2.02 million. USA Today, long number one, said last week that it had its worst circulation decline ever, down 17 percent to 1.88 million.
Audit rules allow newspapers to count some online-only subscriptions. The Journal is among the few major newspapers that charge for access to much of their websites. USA Today does not.
USA Today said it’s still the top seller by print circulation.
The Journal did not offer a breakdown of print and online sales, but over the past few reporting periods, the Journal said it sold more than 350,000 electronic editions. That supports USA Today’s estimates that it has about a quarter of a million more print readers than the Journal.
The Journal has made an aggressive bid to grow beyond its traditional audience on Wall Street. It has been adding general interest news and looking to compete with financially ailing regional newspapers. For the most part, its new status as number one is the result of USA Today’s steep decline.
