Chris Anderson:
On the occasion of today’s gruesome statistics on the continuing fall of newspapers, here’s an updated look at mainstream entertainment and media in decline:
DOWN:
Down by 7% this year (tickets per capita have fallen every year since 2001).
Circulation, which peaked in 1987, is declining faster than ever and is down another 2.6% so far this year.
Sales are down another 5.7% this year; although digital downloads (still just 6% of the business) are climbing nicely.
Down 4% this year alone, continuing a multi-decade decline.
Down by 7% in 2004 (but see comments below for discussion)
MIXED:
Sales growth is slowing dramatically, from 29% last year to single digits this year.
Total viewership is still rising, but as channels proliferate and the audience fragments the rating of the average show continues to decline.
Ad revenues are up a bit although the number of ad pages is flat (they’re charging more per page). Circulation is also flat, while newsstand sales are at an all-time low.
It’s the final few months of the current generation of consoles, which tends to approach the trough of the buying cycle. Sales were down 20% in Sept, but will probably pick up by Christmas with the launch of the Xbox 360.
UP:
Internet advertising:
Google revenues up 96%
More here.
