Circulation falls at Boston’s daily newspapers

The nonprofit organization that measures newspaper circulation released figures yesterday showing continued declines in the six-month period that ended Sept. 30.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations reported The Boston Globe’s average daily circulation was 205,939, down about 7.5 percent from the same period last year. The paper’s Sunday circulation was down about 2 percent from the previous year to 360,186.

“To see narrowing losses in our Sunday circulation is encouraging,’’ said Christopher M. Mayer, the Globe’s publisher. “On the bigger point, the report underscores the importance of newspapers having a digital and print strategy that offers readers compelling choices.’’

In September, the Globe launched a subscription-only website, BostonGlobe.com, in addition to its free site, Boston.com. The Globe did not start charging for access to BostonGlobe.com until mid-October.

Daily circulation at the Boston Herald was 113,798, down about 8.7 percent from the same period last year, while its Sunday paid circulation was 85,828, down 4.8 percent.

Gwen Gage, a spokeswoman for the Herald, stated in an e-mail that with its online offerings, “more people are reading the Boston Herald than ever in our history.’’

The Audit Bureau recently altered its methodology, dividing its figures into paid circulation for newspaper copies bought by the consumer, and a new “verified circulation’’ category for copies bought by third parties such as colleges. It also includes figures for readers who pay for digital editions.

Nationally, daily paid circulation at The New York Times, whose parent company also owns the Globe, was 1,150,589. The figure, up 31 percent from the same period in the previous year, includes digital subscriptions, which the Times started to sell in March. The Times had the largest Sunday circulation in the nation: 1.6 million. Sunday home delivery grew for the first time in five years, increasing by 0.2 percent over the year before.

The Wall Street Journal, which also has a paid website, had the largest daily circulation nationally with more than 2 million, an increase of 1.7 percent.