As we’ve said before, the newspaper is not dead.
Even though print circulation for many of the most popular newspapers in America has declined, many publications have continued to thrive in the digital era by growing their online readership.
We’ve rounded up the top 10 newspaper publications in New York City based on circulation. Circulation numbers were confirmed by each publication’s ad department.
Editor’s note: These publications are primarily distributed in the five boroughs, not the NYC metro area overall.
Read on to discover the top 10 newspaper publications in New York.
(Stay tuned each month for more location and niche-based media outlet breakdowns from Muck Rack and check out our post on the top 10 publications in California!)
The New York Times (sometimes abbreviated as The NYT or The Times) is an American newspaper based in New York City with worldwide influence and readership. Founded in 1851, the paper has won 125 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other newspaper. As of September 2016, it had the largest combined print-and-digital circulation of any daily newspaper in the United States. The New York Times is ranked 18th in the world by circulation. The paper is owned by The New York Times Company, which is publicly traded but primarily controlled by the Ochs-Sulzberger family through a dual-class share structure. It has been owned by the family since 1896; A.G. Sulzberger, the paper's publisher, and his father, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., the company's chairman, are the fourth and fifth generation of the family to helm the paper.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 85,998,289
Circulation: 571,500
Frequency: Daily
The New York Post is the 4th largest newspaper in the United States and a leading digital media publisher that reached more than 57 million unique visitors in the U.S. in January 2017. The New York Post also operates the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, the entertainment site Decider.com, and co-produces the television show “Page Six TV,” which garnered the highest ratings of a nationally syndicated entertainment newsmagazine in a decade when it debuted in 2017.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 43,583,120
Circulation: 414,254
Frequency: Daily
Every week over a quarter of a million copies of El Especialito are enjoyed by more than a Million Hispanic readers, making El Especialito the # 1 Weekly not only in New York but in the United States. You can find El Especialito in more than 5,500 yellow news racks in 13 independent zones, resulting in the most hyperlocal, geo targeted media in New York by far.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): N/A
Circulation: 270,000
Frequency: Weekly
The New York Daily News, officially titled Daily News, is an American newspaper based in New York City. As of May 2016, it was the ninth-most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States. It was founded in 1919, and was the first U.S. daily printed in tabloid format. Since 2017, it has been owned by the news publishing company Tronc.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 25,964,032
Circulation: 227,352
Frequency: Daily
Metro New York is a free daily newspaper in New York City. It was launched on May 5, 2004 by Metro International. Its main competition is amNewYork, which launched the previous year and practices many of the same distribution and marketing strategies.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 1,461,003
Circulation:176,382
Frequency: Daily
amNewYork is a morning free daily newspaper that is published in New York City by Newsday. According to the company, the average Friday circulation in September 2013 was 335,900. When launched on October 10, 2003, amNewYork was the first free daily newspaper in New York City. Its main competitor is Metro New York, which followed amNewYork into the market, using similar distribution and marketing strategies.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 635,999
Circulation: 174,293
Frequency: Daily
The Queens Chronicle is a free weekly newspaper based in the New York City neighborhood of Rego Park, Queens. It was founded in November 1978 as The Paper by Susan Merzon.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 35,887
Circulation: 160,000
Frequency: Weekly
Catholic New York is the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of New York, and the largest Catholic newspaper of its kind in the United Sates. Founded in 1981 by His Eminence, Terence Cardinal Cooke, CNY reports on the news and activities of the Catholic Church as it occurs in the parishes and schools of the Archdiocese, as well as across the country and around the world. CNY presents the experiences of those living the faith, and shows how those experiences reflect the Gospel message. Catholic New York is one of the most honored Catholic newspapers in the United States, and is published bi-weekly.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 7,888
Circulation: 130,006
Frequency: Bi-weekly/Fortnightly
The Queens Tribune is a free weekly newspaper founded as the monthly Flushing Tribune in February 1970 by Gary Ackerman. It is based in Whitestone, Queens. The paper's main offices moved to Whitestone from Fresh Meadows, Queens in November, 2010. The Tribune is a member of the New York Press Association. It's CEO is Micheal Schenkler, and the current Executive Editor is Michael Nussbaum.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 15,961
Circulation: 90,000
Frequency: Weekly
Some of the world’s largest concentrations of Caribbean Americans call New York City home — and Caribbean Life is their local source of news about politics, sports, arts, and culture. The tabloid with the unmistakable yellow-and-orange front page is now in its third decade of informing Caribbean New Yorkers about news and events from back home and in their adopted city.
UVMs (Unique visitors per month): 3,205
Circulation: 80,371
Frequency: Weekly
Curious to learn more? We'd love to show you how Muck Rack works!
Do you keep up with any of these popular newspapers? Let us know on Twitter!
Andrew Mercier is the Editorial Director of Muck Rack, a digital PR and journalism platform.
Photo via Pexels
