Magazine newsstand sales in the U.S. slipped 5.6 percent in the first half of 2010. That's from the latest figures released by industry auditors.
Meanwhile, the Audit Bureau of Circulations says the number of magazine subscriptions fell 2 percent, making for an overall sales decline of 2.3 percent.
Newsstand sales are an important gauge because publishers charge full cover price at retail outlets, while discounting subscriptions to boost the overall circulation they can promise advertisers.
While the latest figures show newsstand sales are still dropping, the decline has eased since the worst of the recession.
The 5.6 percent decline in the January-June period compares with a 9 percent decline in the six months before that and a 12 percent decline in the same period a year ago.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.