Bob O’Leary

Yes, circulation is down at most papers. Supposedly, the Internet and blogs are killing them off.

Newspaper executives are panicking and laying off reporters and editors. Florida papers are suffering too. The Orlando Sentinel has cut back and forced many into retirement. Although the Sentinel’s circulation has risen for its Sunday paper, its daily figures are down 4 percent.

The South Florida papers are really hurting, with the Miami Herald down almost 8 percent, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel down 9 percent. Almost all are down, except for one – the St. Petersburg Times. While the Times is only holding its own, it is not dropping. In Hillsborough County, the Tampa Tribune’s home turf, it is gaining while the Tribune drops almost 6 percent overall.

Why the difference? The Times does have an older readership which is not as likely to turn to the Internet for news. But so does the Trib and the Sun Sentinel.

But the Times is the only paper not owned by a public corporation that has to answer to stockholders. Its parent is a not-for-profit foundation, the Poytner Institute. While others cut back and lay off their best writers, the Times keeps its staff.

The Times’ management get it. Media changes, but good writing and reporting never go out of style. They keep their staff and develop a user-friendly site that doesn’t have annoying flashover ads that interrupt your reading.

Just because I don’t get the paper at home doesn’t mean I don’t read it. Thanks to the Internet, I actually read several a day, and I don’t have to worry about recycling.