• November 5, 2007 - 7:39 PM

Circulation fell 2.6 percent at major U.S. daily newspapers in the six months ended in September, according to figures released Monday, as readers continue to migrate to the Internet for news, information and entertainment.

At the Star Tribune, average daily circulation for the six months ended in September totaled 335,443, a decrease of 6.5 percent from a year earlier, according to preliminary figures filed with the Audit Bureau of Circulations, an industry group. Sunday circulation was 570,443, down 4.3 percent. Those figures place the Star Tribune as the 17th-largest daily newspaper and 11th-largest Sunday newspaper in the nation.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported daily circulation of 184,474 and Sunday circulation of 245,930. Both figures are increases of about 0.1 percent from a year ago.

USA Today, published by industry leader Gannett Co., kept its place as the largest daily paper in the country and also chalked up a 1 percent gain in circulation to 2,293,137. The Wall Street Journal remained No. 2 in average total paid daily circulation, with 2,011,882, down 1.53 percent. The New York Times was No. 3 at 1,037,828, a decline of 4.5 percent.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS