"The estimated total US daily newspaper circulation (print and digital combined) in 2016 was 35 million for weekday and 38 million for Sunday, both of which fell 8 percent over the previous year," a press release accompanying the report stated. "Declines were highest in print circulation: Weekday print circulation decreased 10 percent and Sunday circulation decreased 9 percent.
The report included data going back to 1940, when daily newspaper circulation was 41 million and 32 million on Sunday.
The primary reason is that "more and more Americans consume news digitally," the report explained.
Despite the proliferation of news outlets that delivered content exclusively on-line, daily newspaper circulation appeared to stabilize at 55 million from 1999 to 2003, before beginning a steady decline to the present level, the report also revealed.
The latest estimates include both print and on-line editions of daily newspapers, according to the report.
