This might explain it - like many liberals, the Red Star (allegedly) cheats

Here we go. Rambix lives for these kind of revelations. It seems the Red Star has been (allegedly) cheating on their circulation numbers, and they're being called out in a court of law.

A month or so ago, the circulations numbers for many of the major US newspapers were printed and reported upon. A lot of the large papers showed dwindling circulation numbers. Here were the Red Star numbers according to the Pioneer Press:

"According to the circulation bureau, the Star Tribune's Monday through Saturday circulation for the six months ending March 31 was 378,316, up 0.3 percent from the same period last year. Its Sunday circulation was 655,198, down 2.4 percent."

At the time, we recall how it seemed unusual that decent papers were losing circulation, and a lesser paper like the Red Star would have even a slight gain in circulation for Monday through Saturday. Now we understand why. It appears the Red Star is (allegedly) inflating their circulation numbers, and the advertisers are none too happy. It means they have been paying inflated advertising rates, which means that the Red Star (allegedly) has been stealing from them. Thus the lawsuit.

"In one of the schemes alleged in the lawsuit, a Star Tribune field representative instructed a newspaper distributor employed by St. Louis Park-based Masterson Personnel to order 2,500 extra newspapers each week because the Star Tribune's circulation numbers were down and needed to be upped by the end of December 2003.
"The representative stated that the distributor could give the extra papers away, sell them or simply could throw them away," the complaint reads. She was told that she would be billed for these papers but would receive credits for them."

Well, ok then! They can't say we didn't warn them - offending half your readership daily doesn't bode well for the long run, does it?

More on Fraters Libertas.

Here's a copy of the Complaint.

If this story is demonstrated to have merit, then we will demand a groveling apology from the smarmy, arrogant, self-righteous editorial board of the Red Star. And then everyone at the paper should be fired (except Lileks and Kersten). And then everyone else can cancel their subscriptions.