Categories: OLD Media Moves

Overall North American circulation declines at Economist, but digital rises

The Economist reported that its North American print and digital circulation declined 8 percent in the six months ended Dec. 31 as the publication removed 40,000 unprofitable bulk copies from circulation.

Total print and digital circulation is at 758,068. North American circulation accounts for 55 percent of the publication’s global circulation.

The Economist recently made a decision to focus more on profits rather than volume. However, it also wants to double its circulation by 2020.

Digital circulation in North America rose 37.6 percent in the six-month time period compared to a year ago.

Overall, revenue from circulation was up 25 percent, according to The Economist Group Interim 2017 Report. Circulation — which stands at 1.39 million — continues to be the largest contributor of profits to The Economist Group.

Worldwide, digital subscriptions are up 24.7 percent, and digital subscriptions are now 31 percent of all subscribers, up from 24 percent a year ago.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.