Register Cites Circulation Drop of 25,000

The Orange County Register’s average daily circulation has declined 25,000 from the number claimed six months ago, according to figures that the paper reported Saturday. Sunday average circulation was down 28,000.

It was the first time since September, 1989, that the Register had declared a circulation decrease from the previous six months’ period, according to figures on file with the independent Audit Bureau of Circulations in Schaumburg, Ill.

The latest figures are for the six-month period ending Sept. 30.

The Register’s average daily circulation was 347,675, and its average Sunday circulation for the period was 400,375. Both figures were well below the paper’s claimed circulation as of last March 31--372,750 daily and 429,146 Sunday.

The paper made no formal announcement of the circulation loss, and officials did not return calls Saturday. But in an article in its Saturday edition, Publisher R. David Threshie blamed the decline on a subscription-price increase that was exacerbated by the new state sales tax and on problems with the newspaper’s circulation operations.

The ABC is winding up an extended audit of the Register’s circulation claims for the six-month period that ended March 31.

ABC officials say they cannot comment on the matter until the audit is officially completed.

The Register’s Saturday announcement was in contrast to circulation figures released this week by its competitor, The Times Orange County Edition.

The Times said the average daily circulation of its Orange County edition for the six-month period ending Sept. 30 was 185,472--up 7,231 from a year ago and up 824 from six months ago. The Times said its average Sunday circulation for the six-month period ending Sept. 30 was 276,278--an increase of 27,569 from a year ago and 13,803 from six months ago.

Overall, The Times circulation for the period ending Sept. 30 was reported as 1,177,253--down 19,070 from the same period a year ago. Times officials said that decline reflects a deliberate attempt by the paper to eliminate some circulation in remote areas. The Times has said its average Sunday circulation as of Sept. 30 was 1,529,609, an increase of 11,600 from a year ago.