Circulation numbers for magazines in the first six months of 2001 showed continuing declines and newsstand weakness, extending a trend that has been ongoing for years (see 'Newsstand Sales Slipping Across the Board').  Audit Bureau of Circulations numbers reported by Advertising Age show that only one of the top ten magazine titles increased in circulation in the first six months of 2001 vs. the same period a year ago, and that was less than a 1% gain.  This compares to declines in circulations of five of the top ten titles six months ago (see 'Magazine Circulations Stabilize; Newsstand Sales Decline'), and in seven of the top ten titles a year ago.  The average circulation change of the top ten titles was a 2.8% decline.  The biggest loser in the top fifty titles was newsstand stalwart TV Guide, which dropped 13.1%, or over 1 million copies per issue.  Laddie books (Maxim, Stuff, FHM) were among the categories with circulation increases, as well as newer women's and women's health titles.   

 

With ad revenues in the toilet and circulations plummeting, consolidation continues in the magazine business at all levels.  Industry Standard and Working Woman are two magazines that recently stopped publishing after running out of cash; both are seeking to sell assets.  Internet title Industry Standard is especially notable because it sold more ad pages than any other magazine in 2000.

 

Although relatively few of the periodical titles sold in pop culture stores are the high-circulation titles reported on in the ABC top 200 summary, more specialized titles are not immune to the trend; in fact, they may be more affected than the larger titles because they're more subject to cutbacks at all levels of the supply chain.  Diamond reported general weakness in its periodical sales in the first half of 2000 (see 'Diamond Releases Mid-year Trends'), and there has been a definite trend away from periodicals in the product mix sold in pop culture stores in recent years.  Diamond is attempting to buck the trend with its returnable magazine program (see 'Diamond Offers Returnable Magazines'), and this eliminates the risk associated with the biggest problem in selling magazines -- predicting how many consumers will buy a given issue of a title at a particular store.  Regardless, diversification away from periodicals and into more successful product formats is also a prudent move in this difficult environment for magazine sales.