Newsday circulation was overstated by 16.9% daily and 14.5% on Sunday between October 1, 2002 and September 30, 2003, according to a press release Tuesday by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC). Details as follows:
-Average audited daily circulation during the period was adjusted by 97,783 copies to 481,816 compared to 579,599 originally reported by Newsday - a difference of 16.9 percent.
-Average audited Saturday circulation during the period was adjusted by 24,181 copies to 392,649 compared to 416,830 originally reported by Newsday - a difference of 5.8 percent.
-Average audited Sunday circulation during the period was adjusted by 97,739 copies to 574,081 compared to 671,820 originally reported by Newsday - a difference of 14.5 percent
The ABC reiterated its order from July when it declared that the paper’s owner, Tribune, must provide audit reports twice a year. ABC president and managing director, Michael Lavery, said in a statement that “These findings are a result of irregularities and errors identified during the course of ABC’s annual audit of Newsday. The results of the audit are consistent with the ABC Board’s decision in July to censure Newsday for its circumvention of the ABC’s rules, rules to which all members agree to abide.”
No word on when the twice-yearly audits will end for Newsday and fellow Tribune pub Hoy.
