The Valdosta Daily Times has continued to grow its circulation even during tough economic times, according to figures released by ABC, or Audit Bureau of Circulations, the official monitoring service for newspapers.

The report covers the six months ending March 31, 2008, and ABC figures show that the Times has gained in both daily and Sunday circulation by approximately 1.5 percent. While the gains are modest, any gain at all is evidence of the strong local economy as so many other newspapers are in a steady decline, particularly those in major markets, according to Times Publisher John H. “Sandy” Sanders.

“Evidence of the economic stability of our community and readership confidence is proved out in our home delivery and dealer/rack growth during the past year. Our Valdosta area is unique and we are a stand out in the state. We have tremendous opportunities here and this newspaper will continue to step out as a leader in making this community even better than it is today,” said Sanders.

According to a story in The New York Times, average daily circulation has been dropping 2-3 percent annually for most newspapers, which has led to a rash of sales and mergers in recent years. The hardest hit newspapers appear to be in the large cities, as the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the New York Times and the Washington Post all posted losses in circulation in recent years from 2 to 8 percent.

As recently as a week ago, the Atlanta Journal Constitution announced another round of newsroom layoffs as the newspaper continues to shrink its circulation and delivery area. It is no longer available in South Georgia, and neither is the Georgia Times-Union, as rising fuel costs and declining revenues factor into distribution areas.

"Media outlets are so fragmented now that it is essential for local businesses to be able to reach the highest percentage of qualified shoppers. This audit shows an almost 70 percent penetration in Valdosta, a number that is unheard of in our industry. A strong local newspaper is essential to a strong local economy and we are proud to be able to deliver an expanding readership to our business partners,” said Julie Killion, director of advertising for the Times.

According to Samuil Nikolov, circulation director for the Times, the gain is impressive given the tough economic challenges faced by the industry.

“Nowadays, South Georgians have numerous news outlets (such as TV, radio and Internet) and it’s crucial for us to not only stay competitive, but also be the essential seven-day gateway to local, state and national news. Everyone here at The Valdosta Daily Times strives to provide excellent customer service, compelling content, and innovative marketing promotions to our existing and future readers,” said Samuil Nikolov, Circulation Director at The Valdosta Daily Times.