Daily Sun circulation - increasing or decreasing?
 

Which numbers are you going to believe?

From the Online News site, Oct. 2, 2018:
"A publisher's statement printed in Tuesday's edition of The Villages Daily Sun shows the newspaper's circulation has dipped."

<snip>

"The 'Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation' appeared in 6-point type buried in the back of Tuesday's Sports section.

"It stated the newspaper's daily circulation as of Sept. 26 is 43,610. The publisher's statement from Sept. 25, 2016 indicated a daily circulation of 44,936. The publisher's statement from Oct. 1, 2014 indicated a daily circulation of 43,938."

<snip>

"Many of the Daily Sun copies that are counted as paid circulation aren't going to homes, but rather are complimentary copies made available through the sales centers and businesses such as Citizens First Bank."

From The Villages Daily Sun, Nov. 21, 2018:
"This week the Daily Sun marked its 21st consecutive year of circulation growth as verified by the Alliance for Audited Media, the industry standard for ensuring transparency among media companies and trust among advertisers.

"The Daily Sun is now the fifth largest newspaper in Florida, behind only the Tampa Bay Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Orlando Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post.

"The growth news comes while online sites struggle to win over subscribers and advertisers. The Daily Sun maintains a 92 percent daily market penetration, and 97 percent of residents read the newspaper at least once each week."

Nothing but Advertising
 

The Sun publishes no real news at all, I signed up for a one year subscription and after a few months realized it truly wasn’t a newspaper. So I started giving it to my neighbor. It’s worthless and not anything of value is printed on the paper it’s a waste of paper

It depends on what you want in a newspaper. It gives me a lot of information about people and events here and I use the ads all the time. For me, it’s quite useful.

Not a "real" newspaper - it is CHEAP

Simply not true. They publish a number of national news articles off the wires. I guess you aren't interested in national news. They have a pretty good sports section including coverage of the local sports teams. The Friday automotive section is pretty good. They publish a number of local articles about The Villages each week. Granted, some of these are "developer focused". Most of the material is available through other on-lines sources but many people prefer to read on paper and not on a computer monitor.

I wonder how many are daily subscriptions delivered to homes within The Villages. There are about 60,000 homes in The Villages.

Not sure why it makes any difference.

I like the paper. I subscribe. It feels like a real newspaper to me.

Of course, I'm not sure what a fake newspaper feels like.

I enjoy it, read it every day, like to read what's going on locally, sports, a little national and statewide news, nice break from cable news.

It must be a real newspaper, the ink rubs off on my hands.:MOJE_whot::1rotfl:

From that “layed back”, little known and underestimated Philosopher Justjim: The Daily Sun “Is what it is”. As far as circulation, it likely goes up in Season and a bit down during the summer. The Developers recent “take over” hopefully will improve their digital paper for those of us who go on “vacation” during the summer months.

The " other site " which claims to be a daily news source has been stirring up this issue [ DS circulation] recently , wonder why ?
Yet the " other site " does not disclose its circulation , its ownership , its editors or its publishers , wonder why ?

I don't believe that online news sources are required to publically disclose their circulation numbers. At least not yet....

Just one of the reasons I unsubscribed was: THE PRINT WAS TOO SMALL TO READ.

I don’t know why you care, or really want to know. I know for a fact that advertisers rely on audited statements of circulation, breaking out between paid and unpaid (complimentary). Advertising decisions are made based on circulation and readership demographics.

Circulation can vary quite a bit, and as a business decision, a newspaper tries to increase its circulation prior to an audit. Makes sense to me to do so.

To me, your question sounds like you are skeptical of the numbers. If you care so much, request a copy of the most recent audit.

It doesn't surprise me that business competitors take potshots at each other.

I'm curious about the Sun's claim of being fifth largest in the state. This is from several years ago but the Sun would have to almost triple its stated figures to be fifth.

St. Petersburg Times – 239,684
Orlando Sentinel – 172,271
The Miami Herald – 151,612
South Florida Sun Sentinel – 149,892
The Tampa Tribune – 145,045
The Florida Times-Union – 108,926
The Palm Beach Post – 100,830
Sarasota Herald-Tribune – 66,352
The News-Journal – 63,902
Florida Today – 60,165

Other sites list the top 10 in order but don't provide circulation figures. This site has it at #17 and this one has it at #10

Both numbers and conclusions can be correct. One is reporting the monthly circulation, the other the circulation for a year. The "Happy Paper" is good for what it is - local news (mostly good), human interest stories, local sports, open house information, and coupons for local restaurants and golf courses. It is not the New York Times, but it is worth the price of a subscription.

Exactly what do you mean by real news.....the paper I get has National, International, local and regional news. The other question is where do you now get your real news?

I agree! So many seem to be looking for a conspiracy or something to stir the pot over. We like The Sun for exactly what eweissenbach posted!!

Not saying that they are required to do so .

However , given that their primary focus seems to be on
The Developer , issues within this community and The Daily Sun it seems to be unprofessional that they do not disclose
who they are as any print publication would .

Their primary MO is to stir things up such that many of their " readers " get online and fight with one another .
So what are they hiding ?

Hope they sort this out soon, regarding circulation.
I haven't been able to sleep for weeks worrying about it!:icon_wink:

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

I just read yesterday, cannot remember where, that it had the third largest distribution in Florida. (After Tampa Bay Times and Miami Sun Sentinel)

It is well known newspapers across the United States are “Struggling”. Small papers have closed, consolidated or reduced publishing days. Even large well known papers are having circulation and “cost” issues. Younger Americans have gone digital. We are “Old school” and enjoy reading The Daily Sun in print as we nurse a couple cups of coffee and eat our yogurt. We get digital news from several sources including our former hometown newspaper but nothing in our opinion beats a cup of coffee and the local newspaper in print.

Amen.

The Sun
 

Mary and I are thankful that we didn't have to worry about the circulation on the sun on Thanksgiving.

I enjoy reading my newspaper in the morning. For years I’ve read the morning paper at night when I got home from work. The first thing I look for in the morning is my paper and my cup of coffee. That’s the reward for working all those years. I save enough on the coupons in stores and of dinner specials too easily offset the price of the newspaper

I absolutely agree with the above post. I hate reading didgital news, nothing like going out to the birdcage with a cup of coffee, putting on my cheaters, and reading an old fashion newspaper. I don't like reading a paper that is not actually on paper! Pretty soon, actual news printed on paper will go the way of blockbuster video rentals. The Daily Sun will be one of the last real newspapers to disappear, because of the demographics of the Villages as well as the circulation penetration and associated advertising revenue. Where we also live, up north, the price of printed newspapers has tripled in the last couple of years. The publishers are trying to shoehorn everyone into subscribing didgitaly. Not me, I would rather cancel. We always look forward to reading the very affordable and reliable Daily Sun when we are lucky enough to get to our Villages home.

I have subscribed to the Kansas City Star online for about ten years, ever since they quit delivering daily to my rural lake home. I pay 99 cents per month and I get the paper on my laptop or Ipad in the same format as on paper. I get it the same whether I am in The Villages, in Kansas City, or on vacation elsewhere. Last week my wife asked me to pick up a print version of the Sunday paper because she wanted the ads. I took a paper to the cashier and almost feinted when it rung up at four dollars. I asked the cashier if that was right and then I looked at the masthead and saw it was. No wonder the printed newspapers are losing circulation between raising prices and curtailing their delivery routes. I have become a happy digital subscriber.

The New York Times did a piece on the Sun’s rising circulation a few months back:

Print Is Dead? Not Here - The New York Times

I think I believe them a little more than villages online news and their repeated pot shots at the Sun.

:agree:

I'm also a digital subscriber for the paper up north.....but, it's not the same as having newsprint in my hands. I enjoy sitting at the counter for breakfast, or on the lanai or under a tree and reading The Sun. My question, I assume you told your wife, by decree, there was no way she was getting the ads? Of course I assume you could have visited your neighbors and get theirs before it gets recycled.

Newspapers are like books and phone books. Paper versions are on their way out...

Sent from my SM-N920R4 using Tapatalk

I hear you, I prefer the paper version (my best friend is the retired executive director of the Missouri Press Association), however I read it on my Ipad which is lightweight and I can easily take to the deck or lanai.
That along with the convenience of taking with me wherever I go makes it a no brainer for me. Oh, and the cost!

I love it, enjoy the relaxing time reading the paper. Great sports and local news.

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

Really???
 

Who Cares what the numbers are? You read it or you dont?

:icon_wink: I'm thinking you care if you pay to advertise in it.

Other than that I agree with you. :read: I read it...... and nobody puts a gun to my head.

Who cares what numbers are correct?

Some of you say it offers no real news, if you want all the negative stories get The Village News that has all the crime stories the complete opposite of The Daily Sun.