When the Tucson Citizen folded in May its subscribers also vanished. According to semiannual circulation data from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it’s as if the Citizen never existed when it comes to newspaper subscribers in Tucson.

A year ago, Tucson Newspapers, which was responsible for printing and distributing both the afternoon Citizen, owned by Gannett Co. Inc., and the morning Arizona Daily Star, owned by Lee Enterprises, had an average paid daily circulation (Mondays-Fridays) of 113,906. For the six months ending Sept. 30, this year’s average daily paid circulation, which is for the Star alone, was down 17.7 percent to 93,770. This year’s number is even a fraction of a percentage point lower than the 94,055 circulation the Star had by itself a year ago, which means the 19,851 paid subscribers to the Citizen — and then some — disappeared. 

When the Citizen shut down, Tucson Newspapers told advertisers it wouldn’t adjust advertising rates because it expected to hold on to most former Citizen subscribers who were expected to switch over to the Star.

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At the time, Tucson Newspapers officials said the number of people who subscribed to both newspapers was minimal. It should also be noted these latest numbers track what is typically low summer circulation months in Tucson. The audit bureau’s Spring report, which comes out in April, usually shows Tucson circulation numbers up by as much 7 to 10 percent during the winter months.

Average Sunday circulation for the Star is down 8.2 percent to 135,432 for a year ago in the audit bureau’s latest report. Last year’s numbers included Citizen subscribers, most of whom received the Star on Sundays.

For the nation’s 379 daily newspapers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reports average paid circulation this year is down 10.6 percent from a year ago and Sunday circulation is down 7.5 percent.

Among the 25 largest newspapers, only the Wall Street Journal was up, by 0.6 percent, to just over 2 million. The figure includes paid subscribers to its online edition. The Journal is the only major daily that charges for an online subscription.

Gannett’s USA Today, which had been the largest selling daily, saw its circulation drop 17 percent to 1.9 million.

In Phoenix, the Arizona Republic, which is also published by Gannett, saw its average daily circulation drop 12.3 percent to 316,874. Sunday circulation was down a more moderate 0.9 percent to 458,992.

All together, shift

With the Nov. 1 end to Daylight Saving Time, Tucsonans are now an hour ahead of Californians and just two hours behind the East Coast. TiVo and DVRs should take care of the change and most local TV broadcast stations make the adjustment so only national live programming is affected.

On radio, live national programs air an hour later. One of the more interesting moves is at KNST 790-AM where its new-found afternoon ratings success, Glenn Beck, airs live for an hour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. starting today (Nov. 2). Beck’s full three hours will continue airing from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

At the Voice KVOI 1030-AM, all programs will air an hour later but local hosts Joe Higgins and Chris DeSimone are doubling their duty with their early-morning “Wake Up Tucson” show expanded to two hours, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

And at KUAZ 89.1-FM/1550-AM, National Public Radio’s live two-hour call-in program “Talk of the Nation” now starts at noon and “Fresh Air” moves up to 11 a.m. 

Emmy winners

Congratulations to Rocky Mountain Emmy Award winners: Daniel Adelman, Jill Beissel, Mike Ford, Raul Hernandez, Wayne Stai and Matthew Van Hoesen at KOLD 13; Luis Carrion, Dan Duncan, Sooyeon L. Johnston and Pam White at KUAT-TV 6; Lety Bazurto-Mathews, Gene Einfrank, Dulce Mascareño, Jennifer McKinney, Mitch Riley and Dan Sheffer at Tucson 12; and, in new media, James Gregg at the Arizona Daily Star and Wil Holst at the University of Arizona’s www.UANews.org. All totaled, Southern Arizonans brought back 19 Emmys — eight for Tucson 12, five for KUAT-TV and two each for KOLD, the Star and the UA’s news bureau.

TV mag changes 

The Arizona Daily Star next weekend embarks on a plan that will require people to pay a separate subscription if they want to continue receiving its weekly TV listing supplement.

From Nov. 8 through 29, sample copies of a new TV supplement called On TV will be included in all Sunday Stars. Starting Dec. 6 only those who pay additional money will continue to receive it in their newspaper. The cost is $16.90 for 13 weeks, $28.60 for 26 weeks, $39.00 for 52 weeks and $69.68 for two years. That’s in addition to the subscription to the newspaper.

On TV is being produced by the National Television Book Company, headquartered in Troy, Mich. Tucson is one of 11 cities where the company is launching this product. The magazine can be delivered by mail to non-Star subscribers at higher prices and the publisher says it plans to make it available on newsstands at $2.99 a copy.

The plan appears to solve an enigma for newspapers — weekly TV listings supplements have a significant, loyal and vocal following but they aren’t profitable for most newspapers.

Takeover continues  One week after adding San Diego to the list of cities they’ve taken over with their radio show, Johnjay and Rich last week added their seventh market: Denver. Clear Channel says the show now reaches nearly a million listeners per week in Phoenix, Tucson, Portland, Ore., San Diego, Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins, Colo.

Along with their expansion, hosts Johnjay Van Es and Rich Berra two weeks ago signed a contract extension. And to think it all started in March 2001 on KRQQ 93.7-FM.

Contact David Hatfield at dhatfield@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4237. Inside Tucson Media appears weekly.