Recent and Future Economic Status of U.S. Newspapers

Abstract

This study, using economic measures, finds that newspapers have held up well in competition with radio, television, videotex, and other media. Using newsprint consumption as a measure, the study finds that newspapers grew faster than the U.S. economy in general in 1976–84. Since then, the rate of growth has declined somewhat. Using advertising carried as a measure, newspapers expanded 279% in the 1975–1988 years—a period in which U.S. GNP increased 205%. People are working longer today, with less time for reading, but the study suggests several trends that are likely to contribute to continued newspaper economic growth.