{{B}} On the brink {{/B}}
The New York Times was once the best example of all that was great about American newspapers．Now it symbolizes the difficult situation the whole industry is fecde with.The Grey Lady's circulation is tumbling down another 3.9%according to the latest data from America's Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)．{{U}} (9) {{/U}}.
Pick almost any American newspaper company and you can tell a similar story．The ABC reported that for the 530 biggest daily newspapers，average circulation in the past six months was 3.6%lower than in the same period a year earlier．As for Sunday papers．it was 4.6%lower．Ad revenues are plunging across the board：by 22.3%at Media General，for example．In 2007 total newspaper revenues fell to$42.2 billion．{{U}} (10) {{/U}}.
Much of this decline is being blamed on the rise of the internet，which offers free，round-the-clock coverage．What's more，Internet has provided a new，better home for classified advertising，which was once the source of most newspapers'revenue．{{U}} (11) {{/U}}．The number one cause is the troublesome housing market，which contributes a large slice of classified advedising．
Industry experts such as Lucas Rich Fine of Kent State University do not think that the Times is responding forcefully enough．{{U}} (12) {{/U}}Mr.Fine also points out that although all newspapers are being affected by the internet，their ability to respond will probably depend on whether their audiences are national，metropolitan or local．The first category can afford to invest in distinctive international or business coverage，while the last can prosper by becoming'more intensely local'．But he fears that the big metropolitan newspapers may find themselves trapped in the middle．
Not all is lost，however．{{U}} (13) {{/U}}．For instance，a number of newspapers are becoming'information and connection utilities'，through such offerings as local internet forums．The Pocono Record has renamed reporters'content managers'，since they oversee all the coverage of their beat，both in print and online，and get a bonus for higher web traffic．
The hero for industry optimists is Brian Tierney，a former publicrelations executive．Last year，he led a group of investors that borrowed heavily to buy Philadelphia's two main dailies．{{U}} (14) {{/U}}．He is also finding new ways to drum up advertising，such as introducing a business column sponsored by a local bank．
A．Certainly，it was not something to be sniffed at，but much less than the peak of$48.7 billion in 2000．
B．However，some of the fall in revenues is actual-ly due to the economic slowdown in America．
C．Its advertising revenues are down，too，12.5% lower in March than a year earlier．
D．He has since revived them with a vigorous marketing drive．
E．Nevertheless，as a major newspaper，it still boasts a welleducated readership．
F．Plenty of innovation is taking place，particularly at local papem．
G．‘Now is the time to beef up its business section，’he says．
H．Now it symbolizes the difficult situation the whole industry is faced with．