Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the latest circulation figures of the Kansas City Star (the numbers are cited today by the Kansas City blog site JimmyCsays, and are taken from the Audit Bureau of Circulation):
The Star is in free fall: for the first time since before World War II, its daily circulation has fallen below 200,000 (the Sunday circulation is only about 300,000). Circulation numbers are of particular concern to newspaper advertisers—it determines the rates they are charged.
Because we believe in transparency, and because the Star purports to believe in truth in advertising, I am personally writing today to the CEO’s of the Star’s biggest advertisers letting them know they may be paying too much for their ads. Those advertisers are: Target; Kohl’s; Best Buy; Macy’s; Dick’s Sporting Goods; Dillard’s; Wal-Mart; Cabela’s; Sears; Verizon; and Sprint.
I will also let the big advertisers know that the data will only get worse. To be specific, between the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, there are approximately 1.5 million Catholics in the Star’s immediate readership area. Once they learn that the Star refused to run an ad by the Catholic League blowing the whistle on the enemies of Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert Finn, more will bail.
I am sharing the ad I wrote with all the CEO’s. After all, they need to know why the Star is imploding so they can make an informed decision on where to park their advertising dollars. And since the holiday season is fast approaching, what better time to reconsider their contract with the Star. Social justice demands no less.
Contact Star publisher Mi-Ai Parrish: mparrish@kcstar.com
