The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) released the spring circulation numbers for daily and Sunday newspapers yesterday and apparently things aren’t getting any better for paper and ink suppliers. Overall daily circulation is down 2.1 percent for the six-month period ending March 31, 2007 as compared to the same time a year ago and Sunday circulation dropped 3.1 percent.

Monsieur Soprano’s hometown journal, the Newark Star-Ledger saw its numbers drop 6 percent for its daily edition and 4.3 percent on Sunday. Is it mere coincidence that Tony isn’t picking up the paper in his bathrobe this season?
Things aren’t any better on the left coast. The San Jose Mercury News daily circulation is tumbled 4.9 percent and Sunday 4.4.
The good news in all these stats is that they don’t include online numbers. The Internets, or tubes if you prefer, will save us all! (Just maybe.)