This summer, pressman Ed Padgett broke the news on his blog that on June 7, 2009, the L.A. Times Sunday circulation had dropped below a million for the first time in decades. Of course we covered it on FBLA. And then we all got a stern talking to from the LAT because of it. You see, *official* circulation numbers come from the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

So Padgett must have been feeling vindicated when the ABC released the new circulation numbers today. From Editor & Publisher:

The Los Angeles Times reported its daily circ is off 11% to 657,467 and 6.7% on Sunday to 983,702.

Of course, it's wretched news - especially for employees of the LAT like Padgett. But when you've been given a hard time by your employer, who happens to be a newspaper, for doing accurate reporting about the newspaper - well, that pressman must be feeling a wee bit vindicated.

Previously on FBLA: