Gannett/Gatehouse is the leading newspaper company in the United States based on circulation, with a circulation of over **** million in 2020. Most of the leading newspapers shown were privately held companies, but the largest chains (Gannett/Gatehouse, Digital First/Tribune, and Lee/BH Media) owned ** percent of all newspapers in the United States.

Circulation numbers for daily weekday newspapers peaked in 1987 when they amounted to over 62.82 million. In 2020 however, the paid circulation of daily newspapers was 24.29 million.

Paid circulation of US daily newspapers Since the beginning of the 21st century, the newspaper industry has felt vast repercussions from the transition to the digital information and technology economy. While the number of subscribers and overall circulation has always been important for newspaper publishers, for much of their history they have been supported primarily through their advertising revenues and despite growth in advertising overall, they have largely been unable to capitalize on the continued ad spend growth. Advertising spending in the United States is now predominantly attributed to online advertising.

The New York Times is one of America's biggest newspapers and, despite the decline of the print newspaper industry, the paper has maintained a paid Sunday circulation of over one million copies. As a result, the company's circulation revenue has, despite the bleak outlook of the market, actually increased in recent years, reaching 880 million U.S. dollars in 2016. The New York Times Company recognized the important of the growing digital market and, as a result, the company's digital only news product remains one of its most important segments. As of the end of 2016, this product had over 1.6 million subscribers, a large increase from the 800 thousand subscribers at the start of 2014.

In 2024, local television news was the most used offline news source in the United States, with 28 percent of respondents to a survey having watched local TV to get news in the last week. By contrast, just 14 percent used regional or local newspapers, and CNN and MSNBC were less popular than Fox News.

The largest local newspaper owner in the United States in 2024 was Gannett, with a total of *** papers. Whilst larger companies - Gannett, News Media Group (owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital), and Lee Enterprises all owned fewer papers in 2024 than in 2023, some regional chains saw increases. Cherry Road Media, founded in 2020, owned a total of ** papers by 2024.

The newspaper with the highest print circulation in the United States in the six months running to September 2023 was The Wall Street Journal, with an average weekday print circulation of 555.2 thousand. Ranking second was The New York Times, followed by The New York Post. The paper in the ranking with the highest year-over-year drop in circulation was The Denver Post with a decline of 25 percent (although Buffalo News recorded a higher drop, data does not refer to September 2022 to September 2023, see notes).

In December 2024, the news website with the most monthly visits in the United States was nytimes.com, with a total of 463.07 million monthly visits in that month. In second place was cnn.com with close to 357 million visits, followed by foxnews.com with just over a quater of a million. Online news consumption in the U.S. Americans get their news in a variety of ways, but social media is an increasingly popular option. A survey on social media news consumption revealed that 55 percent of Twitter users regularly used the site for news, and Facebook and Reddit were also popular for news among their users. Interestingly though, social media is the least trusted news sources in the United States. News and trust Trust in news sources has become increasingly important to the American news consumer amidst the spread of fake news, and the public are more vocal about whether or not they have faith in a source to report news correctly. Ongoing discussions about the credibility, accuracy and bias of news networks, anchors, TV show hosts, and news media professionals mean that those looking to keep up to date tend to be more cautious than ever before. In general, news audiences are skeptical. In 2020, just nine percent of respondents to a survey investigating the perceived objectivity of the mass media reported having a great deal of trust in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly.

The circulation figures for daily newspapers in the United States reveal that USA Today distributed the most papers as of January 2019, with a daily circulation of over **** million. Back in September 2017, The Wall Street Journal ranked first, with circulation figures far outperforming The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and New York Post. Although the 2019 data shows that all daily newspapers in the top ten ranking saw a decrease in circulation since 2017, the Chicago Tribune was hit the hardest. Despite making the top ten list in both years, the paper’s daily circulation decreased by almost *** thousand.

The decline of newspaper circulation

It is no secret that print is floundering whilst at the same time digital media is flourishing. However, the impact of falling circulation figures on newspapers has an effect on advertising revenue, as circulation is one of the metrics used to determine and set advertising rates. In 2017, the estimated revenue of newspaper publishers in the United States was almost seven billion dollars lower than in 2010, despite several years of reasonably consistent revenue in terms of subscription and sales.

Similarly, print newspaper publishing revenue in the U.S. dropped by almost *** million dollars in seven years, whilst revenue for online newspapers showed positive growth.

The most popular online news brands in the United States as of February 2024 were Fox News online and CNN.com. A study found that 18 percent and 17 percent of respondents to a survey had visited those sites respectively for news in the last week. Also high in the ranking were Yahoo! News and The New York Times online. Support for and trust in both sources varies significantly according to the political affiliation of audiences, particularly among Democrats and Republicans. News and politics A survey revealed that more than 40 percent of Republicans reported not trusting The New York Times, whereas The NYT is one of the most trusted news sources among Democrats. The same study found that over 60 percent of Democrats did not trust Fox News**. The perceived credibility of major news sources in the United States changes annually and is often influenced by election campaigns and the voting persuasions of the American public. However, whilst most Democrats believe the mass media to be objective in its reporting, very few Republicans feel the same. In 2020, just 10 percent of Republicans trusted news organizations to report fully, accurately, and fairly. Trust in news The most trusted news sources in the United States are radio, network news, and newspapers, despite online outlets being used more frequently by younger audiences. Social media and podcasts are considered the least trustworthy news platforms by all American voters, though again, the survey indicated that Republicans are generally more distrusting of mass media news than voters of other political parties.

According to the most recently available data, there were 1,279 daily newspapers in the United States in 2018. The number of daily newspapers in the U.S. has been on the decline since 1970, when there were 1,748 daily news publications in the country. However, given the ongoing struggle of print media around the world, a decrease of around 460 newspapers over several decades is more positive than many might expect.

Daily newspapers in the U.S.

Whilst the actual number of daily newspapers has remained comparatively stable since the 1970s, the same cannot be said for circulation figures. In 2017, the paid circulation of daily newspapers in the United States amounted to 30.92 million, more than half the figure recorded for 1985. Even the major players in the industry are suffering – Chicago Tribune’s daily circulation fell from just over 438 thousand in September 2017 to 238 thousand in early 2019. Household names like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal also saw a sharp drop in circulation figures, leaving little hope for smaller publications.

News consumers and the reluctance to pay

Media markets across the world have become saturated with digital alternatives to print, and U.S. consumers can now access news content, gossip columns and reports on the latest sports games from a variety of sources, rendering daily newspapers in particular less valuable and sought after than ever before. The reasons to pick up a newspaper on your daily commute when the information you seek is available online are becoming hazy – why pay for print when you can get the digital version for free? In fact, a 2018 study revealed that the vast majority of surveyed U.S. adults had not paid for any local news content in the last year.

However, a small solace for print-only news outlets is that even digital news providers are not completely safe from consumers’ reluctance to pay. A report revealed that the wealth of free content available was the main reason why U.S. consumers were unwilling to pay for online news.

Sadly, the future situation for print outlets does not look bright, and for news providers in general there lies a constant uphill struggle to maintain integrity, prove accuracy and capture the attention of new and current consumers alike.

The most popular online news brands in the United States as of February 2025 were CNN.com and Fox News online. A study found that 23 percent and 22 percent of respondents to a survey had visited those sites respectively for news in the last week. Also high in the ranking were Yahoo! News and The New York Times online. Support for and trust in both sources varies significantly according to the political affiliation of audiences, particularly among Democrats and Republicans. News and politics A survey revealed that more than ** percent of Republicans reported not trusting The New York Times, whereas The NYT is one of the most trusted news sources among Democrats. The same study found that over ** percent of Democrats did not trust Fox News**. The perceived credibility of major news sources in the United States changes annually and is often influenced by election campaigns and the voting persuasions of the American public. However, whilst most Democrats believe the mass media to be objective in its reporting, very few Republicans feel the same. In 2020, just ** percent of Republicans trusted news organizations to report fully, accurately, and fairly. Trust in news The most trusted news sources in the United States are radio, network news, and newspapers, despite online outlets being used more frequently by younger audiences. Social media and podcasts are considered the least trustworthy news platforms by all American voters, though again, the survey indicated that Republicans are generally more distrusting of mass media news than voters of other political parties.

As of January 2020, there were over ****** 7-Eleven convenience stores in operation around the world. ****** of these stores were located in Japan, making it the country with the most 7-Eleven stores globally. 7-Eleven The first chain convenience store in the U.S. was opened in Dallas, Texas in 1927. The chain was formerly known as Tote’m Stores and eventually came to be known as 7-Eleven in 1946. Today, they operate convenience stores around the world. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States. The company is part of the Seven & I Holdings Company., which is one of the top twenty retailers in the world. Convenience Stores in the U.S. A convenience store is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as snack foods, soft drinks, groceries, confectionery, tobacco products, over-the-counter drugs, toiletries, newspapers, and magazines. In the United States, many convenience stores are part of a gas station. As of 2018, there were over ******* convenience stores in operation throughout the United States. Sales within the convenience store industry are often split into two main categories: motor fuel and in-store. The majority of convenience store revenue is generated by motor fuel sales.

Early pandemic topics and collocates.

In 2024, the average weekday print circulation of The New York Times was approximately ******* copies, less than half the figure recorded in 2014. In that year, the company ceased publishing its figures based on weekday circulation for print, online, and other digital platforms, and published only its print circulation. The New York Times The New York Times was founded in 1851 and has been a household name in the United States for decades. The newspaper has adapted well to changes in the media industry, and between the final quarters of 2014 and 2020, paid subscribers to The New York Times’ digital only news product increased from *** thousand to over ************. The New York Times is also one of the world’s leading podcast publishers, with unique streams and downloads of the company’s podcasts reaching tens and sometimes even hundreds of millions per month. Popularity and reliability As one of the most popular news websites in the United States, the NYT has been known to achieve ** million unique monthly visitors, outperforming the likes of NBC News, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. That said, like many news publications, The New York Times has been the subject of controversy over the years. From accusations of liberal bias to its hiring practices, the newspaper has faced challenges regarding not only its published content but also its employees. In spite of this, just ** percent of respondents to a survey seriously doubted the credibility of The New York Times, with most finding the publication to be a reliable source.

Social media was by far the most popular news platform among 18 to 34-year-olds in the United States, with 47 percent of respondents to a survey held in August 2022 saying that they used social networks for news on a daily basis. By comparison, adults over 65 years old mostly used network news to keep up to date.

The decline of newspapers In the past, the reasons to regularly go out and purchase a print newspaper were many. Used not only for news but also apartment hunting, entertainment, and job searches (among other things), newspapers once served multiple purposes. This is no longer the case, with first television and then the internet taking care of consumer needs once covered by printed papers. Indeed, the paid circulation of daily weekday newspapers in the United States has fallen dramatically since the 1980s with no sign of future improvement.

News consumption habits

A survey on news consumption by gender found that 50 percent of women use either online-only news sites or social media for news each day, and 51 percent of male respondents said the same. Social media was by far the most used daily news platform among U.S. Millennials, and the same was true of Gen Z. One appeal of online news is that it often comes at no cost to the consumer. Paying for news found via digital outlets is not yet commonplace in the United States, with only 21 percent of U.S. consumers responding to a study held in early 2021 reporting having paid for online news content in the last year.

The leading U.S. magazine brand website in the country in March 2021 was WebMD Magazine, which drew in **** million unique online visitors that month. Seventh on the list was The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857 in Boston, which provides online and print content. Printed magazine media in the U.S. Print media has been deeply affected by the digital revolution and many magazines and newspapers have had to move online (with some axing their print formats altogether) to retain readers. Making changes to adapt to modern media consumption has long been the norm for traditional publications, and some magazine brands have turned to video in an effort to draw in a larger audience. The share of magazine brands audience via video more than doubled between June 2018 and December of the same year, indicating that this platform could gain traction in years to come if this trend continues.

Magazine reader preferences Data from a study on magazine readership in the United States showed that the majority of U.S. magazine readers prefer print. Although that fact may come as a surprise to digital converts, many industry professionals and experts who continue to believe in and advocate for printed magazines will feel vindicated. Moreover, the magazine audience in the U.S. has actually increased consistently since 2012 and the number of print consumer magazines in circulation has also remained stable.

According to a survey held among adults in the United States in February 2022, ABC and CBS were considered to be the most credible news sources in the country, with 61 percent of respondents believing the organizations to be very or somewhat credible. Sources which fared less well were MSNBC, Fox News, National Public Radio, and HuffPost, with less than 50 percent of adults agreeing that they found these to be reliable news outlets. The credibility of all the news sources in the ranking was higher in 2022 than in the previous year, though the figures in 2021 were particularly low.

Trust and bias in news Finding trustworthy, impartial news sources can be difficult for audiences in a world where fake news is in constant circulation and bias in news is a growing concern. More than 50 percent of total respondents to a survey held in early 2020 believed that there was a fair amount or great deal of bias in the news sources they used most often. The same study found that close to 70 percent of respondents were more concerned with bias in news that other people may consume than with their own news source.

A report exploring trust in news found that radio, network news, and newspapers were the most trusted news sources in the United States, whereas social media was not considered reliable in this regard. The lack of trust in news on social media has yet to affect consumption – social networks are the most used source of news among many consumers, particularly younger generations. In fact, some news consumers are moving away from official news platforms altogether and getting their updates from influencers rather than journalists.

In 2021, U.S. newspaper publishers generated a total revenue of ***** billion U.S. dollars, a decrease from ***** billion U.S. dollars in 2020. This 2021 estimate represents the lowest annual aggregate revenue of U.S. newspaper publishers in the given time frame.

According to market estimates, total media advertising spending the United States in 2020 would amount to 225.8 billion U.S. dollars. By 2024, the figure is expected to grow to 322 billion dollars.. Advertising spending in the U.S. – additional information

Advertising can utilize almost any form of media to meet its needs, including print, television, radio, cinema, outdoor, mobile and online. If there is a space where consumers are going to look at, advertisers will buy it up. The United States, in particular, is the largest advertising market in the world. China is to be the second leading market according to the ranking, yet its ad expenditures are estimated to represent less than half of the amount calculated for the U.S. Television is the main medium for advertisers in the U.S., as it has accounted for about 40 percent of all advertising spending in the country since 2010. However, with the rise of digital platforms, not all mediums are as heavily invested in as others. Particularly traditional mediums such as radio, magazines and newspapers all suffered a decrease in ad spending, with newspapers suffering the most. Newspaper ad spent is forecast to decline from nearly 15 percent in 2010 to about 5.5 percent in 2020. Despite being a leader in the advertising industry as of 2015, television’s share of advertising spending is also projected to decrease in the coming years. Digital is forecast to become the main media for advertisers in the U.S., accounting for 37 percent of all advertising spending in the country in 2017. In terms of revenue, digital advertising in the U.S. is forecast to generate more than 210 billion U.S. dollars by 2022, with search advertising accounting for the largest portion of this amount. Banner ads and social media advertising also belong to digital formats important for advertisers in the U.S. Within the digital market, mobile advertising is also a heavily invested in sub-sector of the advertising industry. In 2020, this spending on mobile ads in the country reached 98.3 billion U.S. dollars. Search advertising and display advertising account for the majority of mobile advertising spending.

The New York Times had **** million digital subscribers as of February 2025, making the publication the global leader in this regard, followed by Substack and The Wall Street Journal with **** million and *** million online news subscribers respectively. Digital subscriptions – the future for news publishers? Subscriptions were cited as the most important digital revenue stream for publishers worldwide in every year from 2021 to 2023, ahead of advertising. As subscriptions have increased, customer retention has also become a growing concern, and according to the aforementioned subscriber losses experienced by The Washington Post, is a well-founded one. Retaining paying members is crucial to achieve growth, and publishers must keep abreast of their users’ needs and industry trends in order to do this. The challenge to achieve sign-ups Converting readers to becoming paying subscribers to news products is challenging. Even video streaming services are experiencing churn. A 2022 survey revealed that ** percent of U.S. subscribers aged 18 to 34 years old canceled between *** and five subscriptions in the three months running up to the survey. If consumers are sacrificing more popular entertainment subscriptions to save money, news subscriptions could also suffer. In fact, ** percent of U.S. subscribers canceled their news subscription* in the last year, a figure which could grow higher as the recession worsens and trust continues to fall.

Data from a survey held in August 2022 in the United States revealed that the most popular news source among millennials was social media, with 45 percent of respondents reporting daily news consumption on social networks. This was more than double the share who got their news via radio. When it comes to trust, though, social media does not fare well.

Social media and news consumption

As adults of all ages spend more and more time on social media, news consumption via this avenue is likely to increase, but something which could affect this trend is the lack of trust in the news consumers encounter on social platforms. Although now the preferred option for younger audiences, social networks are among the least trusted news sources in the United States, and concerns about fake news remain prevalent.

Young audiences and fake news

Inaccurate news is a major problem which worsened during the 2016 and 2020 presidential election campaigns and the COVID-19 pandemic. A global study found that most Gen Z and Millennial news consumers ignored fake coronavirus news on social media, but almost 20 percent interacted with such posts in the comments section, and over seven percent shared the content. Younger news consumers in the United States were also the most likely to report feeling overwhelmed by COVID-19 news. As younger audiences were the most likely to get their updates on the outbreak via social media, this also made them the most susceptible to fake news, and younger generations are also the most prone to ‘doomscrolling’, an addictive act where the reader pursues and digests multiple negative or upsetting news articles in one sitting.