When comparing the first nine months of this service
year with the same period last year, the United States
(the 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii) had increases
of 1.1 percent in publishers
I know the Org. has their manipulation with statistics. A fact.
This report states "first nine months of this service year" (Sept 2014 - May 2015), not indicating whether "Peak" or "Avg.". (t. Their Yearbook 2014 Report showed 2% increase, for 'full' service year (Sept 2013-Aug 2014. That was a round up figure, from 'their' numbers, without the roundup, would have been 1.6% increase (Avg. Pub). Often, the WT uses "Peak Pubs" (a fluffed up number by their own admission of double counting, especially in August)
U.S. population increased near that anyway.