"We're always testing new, creative ideas," he said, "to build our circulation base," now about 120,000.

By 1886, the publication had a circulation base of 40,000 subscribers.

Mirabella is about to raise the circulation base that it guarantees to advertisers to 500,000.

Metropolitan newspapers started going after department store advertising in the 1890s, and discovered the larger circulation base, the better.

"If they go into the fray they are going to have tough competition and the circulation base isn't that powerful," he added.

Colleges are also expanding their circulation base.

It began with a circulation base of 250,000 and grew to 350,000 in a year.

The advertisers suggested such practices allowed the paper to raise its circulation base and advertising rates.

For him to be roundly condemned by the publications that admittedly depend on his show for their circulation base is a bigger one.

The post-merger circulation base will be 350,000.