300,000 probably accounts for people who have regular delivery subscriptions. Then they must add in all the papers sold from corner boxes and ones sold out of convenient stores and coffee shops.

I'm sure that's not right. Total paid circulation is around 300,000 -- that includes newsstands, etc.

Readership numbers are extrapolated from the thought that more than one person reads each copy of the paper. This is standard practice.

For what it's worth, I once lived in a household where a daily Oregonian would pass through four sets of hands before landing in the recycling bin.

This is another one of those numbers that's basically plucked out of thin air. Like Tri-Met ridership numbers. It's certainly possible that 700,000 people see some part of the Oregonian each day - like when they walk by and glance at the front page at Starbucks. There's no "real" way to measure it.

Sounds about right. Those were the readers-per-copy numbers from a couple years ago:

http://abcas3.accessabc.com/files/56467.pdf

My ex-wife was in advertising and when they sold newspaper ads the number of people that supposedly read each paper was staggering. I think for the Dallas Morning News or Houston Chronicle (when I was living in Texas) the number was almost 9 people who read each paper. Quite frankly, I'm surprised the Oregonian is saying it's only 2.33. And if I think of all the newspapers I see waiting outside of courtrooms and on the bus or in my office lobby, those are read by more than 5 people each so that makes up for a lot that are ready by one person and recycled.

Circulation numbers have always been newspapers' greatest work of fiction.

If the O could only figure out how to get those extra readers to pay, they wouldn't have to buy out so many PR people.

What's amazing is how Canary droppings blend with the O's printed message.

Cage cleaning thus becomes a scheduled task as visual inspection proves inadequate.

While some home delivered O papers are read by a few or more, mine was read by no one. So while I counted as circulation I guess I would not have been counted as readership? I wish I could offer a good reason as to why it took me till yesterday to cancel. Good economical sense I guess, like the movies I rent and never watch, only to return them late for an additional fee.

I think the most interesting part of the story is the following quote from Publisher Stickel: "Despite this reduction in staff, we will be adequately staffed and will publish outstanding products for our readers and advertisers, in print and online." Really? Then as the steward of this business, why didn't you make this offer some time ago, since all the people who will be leaving apparantly are not necessary to maintain the Oregonian's excellence. If I were Advance Publications, I might be thinking about a separation offer somewhat higher up the chain than the press room.

Most of the best journalists at the O work at the NY Times or the AP

Doing the math is divisive, I think, not a multiplying product. During a 7-day span, the average day's number is probably 100,000 or fewer, issues which are read in some small part -- counting as little as headlines, or comics, or sports, or astrology corner, or obits. Maybe 1-and-1/2 persons see that issue, or 2 persons give 3/4's attention, or 6 persons give 1/4 of their attention. Bottom line: 150,000 'read' it.

That's half of 'circulation,' not double.

Survey for yourself. Ask 10 people, first, "did you see the paper today?" and then, second, "do you normally get it?"
4 will say they "saw" it.
8 will say they usually "get" it.
Half.

A few years back, ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) found out -- an audit!; who knew? -- that papers, in Dallas, Chicago, and beyond, regularly overstate 'circulation' to charge more for ads. Same as broadcasters.

I'm in the PR business and we use a x3 formula to convert circulation to impressions. That's not universal, but pretty standard.

An awful rag is only going to get worse! Greeeeat! Bring back the Journal!!

There's also the distinction between home delivery and paid home delivery. I canceled my subscription to the O about 2 years ago and they kept delivering the paper for about 9 months afterward (without charging me). I don't know if this is an isolated incident, but even the phone solicitors who would call and try to get me to re-subscribe knew that I was getting free delivery.

Dead fish inside the wrap count as readers, too.

The Oregonian goes through four sets of hands in this family, for what its worth.

LCLS 3L, that's standard with a lot of publications (just try to get Entertainment Weekly to stop sending you copies after you've let a subscription lapse), but it's also a great place to get into trouble. Both the Chicago Tribune and the Dallas Morning News were caught up in class-action lawsuits by advertisers because the papers were being delivered to empty lots, apartment complex laundromats, and abandoned houses in the hopes of claiming that circulation was higher than it really was. What's funny was that the Morning News was busted by the Texas Attorney General in the Eighties for similar stunts to jack up its circulation, and the plan then and now was personally endorsed by the CEO of the Morning News parent company.

Now, if you want to figure out where those extra copies are going, start looking to hotels. USA Today has inflated its circulation numbers for years by claiming those free copies left at every hotel door every morning, and a lot of daily newspapers are even more aggressive. I was recently in Tampa for business, and not only did I get a copy of the Tampa Tribune out front whether I liked it or not, but the maids actually brought it inside when they cleaned the room. My wife is allergic to newsprint, and hotel management simply didn't want to understand why we wouldn't want a nice fresh free paper.

Tri-Met is a perfect simile in more ways than just circulation numbers.

"... the Chicago Tribune and the Dallas Morning News were caught up in class-action lawsuits by advertisers ..." -- I can't remember when my memory doesn't work. ... but I thought it was the Chi. Sun Times ... since I thought they were still in business.

"... USA Today has inflated its circulation numbers for years by claiming those free copies left at every hotel ..."

A variation on that is, (you might like this one, Jack), free bundles delivered -- unsolicitied -- to schools and public buildings, and then the 'subscription value' deducted (above the line) from taxes.