Los Angeles Times Reports March Circulation

LOS ANGELES, May 2, 2005 – For the six months ended March 31, 2005, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday-Saturday average daily circulation of 907,997, a decline of 6.5 percent compared with the prior year, and Sunday circulation of 1,253,849, a decline of 7.9 percent from the prior year, according to figures filed with the Audit Bureau of Circulations, subject to audit.

Excluding the effect of a reduction in third-party bulk sales, daily circulation would have declined 5.2 percent and Sunday would have declined 4.7 percent.

“These circulation declines are driven by the same issues that impacted our September circulation statement,” said Jeffrey M. Johnson, Los Angeles Times executive vice president and general manager, who will become president, publisher and CEO on June 1. “These include the transition to more targeted sales channels from a heavy reliance on telemarketing and the decision to deliberately reduce certain types of circulation, such as third-party bulk sales. The reality is that it takes two six-month reporting statements to cycle through these changes.

“The Los Angeles Times continues to deliver the largest audience in Southern California with an average daily readership of 2.4 million and 3.5 million on Sunday, according to Scarborough 2004 Los Angeles Report. To strengthen this market position, we’re investing in various strategies and programs to increase readership that should begin to show results in September,” added Johnson.

The Times has taken the following actions:

• Launched a comprehensive $10 million consumer marketing campaign, including brand advertising and direct marketing efforts.
• Appointed a veteran newspaper circulation executive to a newly created position of senior vice president, circulation to focus entirely on circulation sales and distribution.
• Began executing new circulation programs to grow late-week circulation and Sunday readership.

“These investments are good examples of our long-term commitment to growing quality, responsive readership that delivers results to our advertisers,” said Johnson.

The Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Publishing company, is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country and the winner of 37 Pulitzer Prizes, including two this year. The Times publishes five daily regional editions, including the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Orange and Ventura counties, the San Fernando Valley, and an Inland Empire edition covering Riverside and San Bernardino counties as well as a National edition. Additional information about The Times is available at www.latimes.com/mediacenter.

Contact:
Martha Goldstein
213-237-3727
martha.goldstein@latimes.com