In addition to reporting on plummeting profits for some newspaper groups, Journalism.co.uk thought it was about time we shared some better news or at least some examples of titles that aren’t making a loss.

1. As the city’s only surviving daily newspaper since the decline of the Post-Intelligencer, the Seattle Times posted a rise in daily circulation of around 30 per cent for June. According to the New York Times, publisher Frank Blethen says the title is operating ‘in the black’ on a month-to-month basis now.
2. “We are a profitable, debt-free enterprise,” says Debbi Meade, publisher of the US’ Roanoke Times, in this letter to readers.
3. New figures from the US’ Publishers Information Bureau (PIB) suggest that 12 titles managed to attract more ad pages in the first six months of this year than in comparison to the same period in 2008. Newsweek looks at which titles are managing to buck the trend in this way.

• NOTW website sees record traffic after Stephen Gately report
• Guardian debuts six-monthly ABCe figures for regional websites
• ABCes: Independent.co.uk records biggest increase in daily browsers
• Lone Star defies downward trend in revised ABC results
• New figures suggest continued growth for US magazine advertising

The Norwich-based publisher Archant has announced a 61.1 per cent fall in operating profits for the year up to June 2009, despite a rise in digital revenues.

Archant, which runs a range of daily and weekly titles in East Anglia, London and the south west of the UK, made £14.8 million in operating cuts so far this year, according to the figures released over the weekend.

The group’s newspaper and printing operations saw a 25.3 per cent decrease in profits over the same period to £49.1 million, while magazine profits were down by 22.2 per cent to £21.7 million.

In contrast, the company’s digital revenues increased by 18.9 per cent – but this rise was not enough to offset the downturn in traditional revenues for the publisher.

“Adjusting to this new and different world and restoring levels of profitability will take time. We remain confident of our ability to exploit the many opportunities to do so, utilising our powerful brands and building on our relationships with our readers and advertisers,” said chairman Richard Jewson in the release.

• Northcliffe’s operating profits drop 81 per cent
• DMGT digital revenues boosted by search portals while local media profits fall
• Johnston Press chief executive million pound earnings revealed in annual report
• FT results: FT.com paid-for subscriptions up 9%
• NYT second-quarter operating profit more than twice 2009 figure

Regional newspaper publisher Northcliffe posted an 81 per cent drop in operating profits in the six months up to March 29 2009, according to figures released today.

Operating profits for the group, which publishes the Bristol Evening Post and Hull Daily Mail, fell by £33 million to £3.2 million over the period. Advertising revenues also fell by 31 per cent to £103 million.

The publisher has reduced operating costs, however, by 11 per cent compared to the last period – including a reduction of its headcount by 500.

On the digital front, revenues were reportedly in line with the same period last year. Unique ‘visitors’ to the network of ‘thisis’ sites rose by 42 per cent year-on-year to 4.2 million.

Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT)

According to the figures, DMGT’s revenue fell by 7 per cent year-on-year – from £1,168 million to £1,085 million.

The group’s outlook:

“Within our UK local media operations, revenues continue to be stable which is encouraging, when combined with increasing cost reductions. Within our national consumer media operations, the positive impact will be felt of the cost reductions made to date and of the sale of the Evening Standard at the end of February. As a consequence, DMGT’s operating profits will be weighted more than last year towards the second half of the year.”

• Archant announces 61.1% drop in profits
• DMGT digital revenues boosted by search portals while local media profits fall
• Mail Online helps DMGT to significant increase in digital revenue
• FT.com: Trinity Mirror profits fall by 8 per cent
• Johnston Press’ ad revenues feel effects of recession

News Corporation has posted losses of £4.4 billion for the last quarter of 2008. Rupert Murdoch has warned of job cuts with losses at News Corp’s UK newspapers expected to be announced next week.

Full story at this link…

• The First Post: Murdoch’s ‘radical rethink’ for online news; announces $3.4bn loss
• Telegraph: Blocking Sky bid may jeopardise News Corp UK investment, warns James Murdoch
• paidContent: News Corp’s ‘iPad paper’ the Daily to launch on 2 Feb
• Telegraph: European Commission raises rights questions over News Corp Sky bid
• Politico: News Corp’s $1m donation to Republicans ‘isn’t business as usual’

From the Observer Media Diary: evidence of a print newspaper model that seems to be, wait for it, reducing its losses.

“City AM, London’s free financial paper, continues to confound the sceptics.

“It filed accounts for 2007 earlier this month, which revealed accumulated losses of just over £7m – but that reflects start-up costs, and sources close to the title say that, after several years of losing well over £2m, it will post a loss of just few hundred thousand pounds this year.

“Revenues are up 22 per cent and the title is on course to make money in 2009, at a time when more established titles are likely to plunge into the red.”

• Rusbridger: Guardian paywall ‘has not been ruled out’
• FT.com: GNM considers Observer’s future in digital age
• Sunday Sport founder expected to relaunch paper
• Freesheet closures: axe falls on Johnston Press and Trinity Mirror titles
• Reasons to be cheerful? Seattle paper, Roanoke Times and magazine publishers turning a profit