“Circulation figures released yesterday show that consumers remain passionate about magazines.
In a world of ever more free content on the TV, radio and the internet, the UK public bought well over 1 billion magazines in 2009 and more than 85 per cent of UK adults continue to buy magazines.
ABC figures released today show that the circulation of consumer magazines fell by just 1.3 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. The UK economy shrank in all four quarters of the year. In 2008, the UK economy stopped growing and only fell into negative economic growth in the second half of the year.
Magazine publishers continue to innovate with 250 regular frequency, paid-for consumer magazines being launched in 2009 compared with 251 in 2008.
Active lifestyle publications performed well. The athletics sector grew 38.3 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008. Meanwhile the camping, walking and climbing sector rose by 11.5 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008. Circulation in the cycling sector rose 11.8 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008.
The women’s sector recovered in the second half of the year. Circulations of women’s lifestyle/fashion magazines rose 4.7 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008 and circulations for women’s weeklies went up 2.9 per cent in the second half of last year compared with the same period in 2008.
Business and finance also continued to do well with the sector posting circulation growth of 5.7 per cent in the second half of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008.
“Readers have a unique relationship with their magazines,” says PPA Chief Executive Barry McIlheney (pictured). “In an increasingly cluttered world, magazines offer an oasis of private time,” he added.
Figures used in this press release are sourced from ABC. Additional figures are estimates calculated by PPA based on ABC figures and are subject to variation.
The Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) protects and promotes the interests of print and online publishers of consumer and business media in the UK. The PPA has over 200 publishing companies in its membership, which collectively produce more than 2,500 consumer and business magazines and journals as well as digital media, data products and events.”
