WSJ newsstand sales rise 20 percent in September

Matthew Flamm of Crain’s New York reports Wednesday that The Wall Street Journal‘s newsstand sales spiked 20 percent in September due to the financial crisis.

Flamm writes, “In addition, the paper’s newly redesigned Web site, WSJ.com, has doubled its traffic, reaching around 25 million unique visitors, Mr. Thomson said, citing internal numbers.

“According to Nielsen Online, WSJ.com had 9 million unique visitors in September, an increase of 94%. A Dow Jones spokesman said that internal numbers were often at variance with Nielsen’s.

“Referring to the financial panic, Mr. Thomson said in remarks after the panel discussion, ‘Obviously the story helps.’ He also credited a more general news-oriented front page, with beefed up political coverage, which has been one of the hallmarks of the paper since Rupert Murdoch acquired it from the Bancroft family late last year.

“Newsstand sales represent only about 5% of the Journal’s overall circulation, but they are traditionally considered a good gauge of a publication’s vitality.”

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