More tough times
at the newsstand
Single-copy magazine sales decline by 9.1 percent
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Feb 9, 2010
There are increasing signs that the recession is finally lifting, but consumers are still tight-fisted when it comes to discretionary spending, and one place that's clearly evident is at the newsstand.
Newsstand sales of consumer magazines once again took a steep dip in the second half of 2009, falling 9.1 percent, according to new data from the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The one consolation is that the decline is slightly less than in prior reporting periods: 12.36 percent for the sixth-month period ended in June 2009 and 11.1 percent for that last six months of 2008.
Also down was overall total paid and verified circulation for the 472 titles tracked by ABC, a decline of 2.23 percent, and that's the biggest dip in the last four reporting periods, reflecting declines in subscription sales as well.
The deepest declines were seen in such troubled categories as newsweeklies, where both Newsweek and U.S. News reported steep declines in total circulation, 27 percent and 24.9 percent respectively, as well as in the bridal titles and a number of leisure and recreational titles.
But as the charts below show, it was less a story of how categories did overall than one of individual titles. In any particular category, three titles might have reported circulation declines with two others reporting gains.
And as much as anything that reflects publishers making decisions about how much they wanted to invest, or not invest, in building or maintaining circulation.
|
Music
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ROLLING STONE
|
12
|
1,365,883
|
2.3
|
104,855
|
-22.1
|
1,470,738
|
0.1
|
|
SPIN
|
6
|
442,307
|
2.7
|
30,031
|
0.4
|
472,338
|
2.5
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Teen
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
J-14
|
5
|
100,951
|
-4.8
|
307,540
|
-19.0
|
408,491
|
-15.9
|
|
SVENTN
|
6
|
1,679,133
|
2.2
|
392,262
|
0.1
|
2,071,395
|
1.8
|
|
TEEN VOGUE
|
5
|
841,487
|
2.8
|
178,000
|
-13.8
|
1,019,487
|
-0.5
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Women's service/beauty
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ALLURE
|
6
|
894,545
|
2.8
|
186,000
|
-17.2
|
1,080,545
|
-1.3
|
|
COSMO
|
6
|
1,248,526
|
8.8
|
1,753,368
|
-1.4
|
3,001,894
|
2.6
|
|
GLAMR
|
6
|
1,860,442
|
10.8
|
587,677
|
-4.0
|
2,448,119
|
6.9
|
|
MARIE CLAIRE
|
6
|
715,975
|
0.9
|
254,357
|
-14.6
|
970,332
|
-3.7
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Fashion
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ELLE |
6
|
808,723
|
0.2
|
316,925
|
-0.2
|
1,125,648
|
0.1
|
|
HARPER'S BAZAAR |
6
|
578,987
|
4.2
|
153,655
|
0.3
|
732,642
|
3.3
|
|
IN STYLE |
6
|
1,098,457
|
8.0
|
689,705
|
-6.8
|
1,788,162
|
1.7
|
|
LUCKY |
6
|
911,340
|
-0.3
|
217,333
|
-11.7
|
1,128,673
|
-2.8
|
|
TOWN & COUNTRY |
6
|
424,259
|
1.8
|
31,105
|
-18.9
|
455,364
|
0.1
|
|
VOGUE |
6
|
887,633
|
1.2
|
353,167
|
-15.1
|
1,240,800
|
-4.0
|
|
W |
6
|
429,085
|
0.6
|
24,650
|
-41.7
|
453,735
|
-3.2
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Entertainment/Celebrity
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ENT. WEEKLY |
24
|
1,756,570
|
0.6
|
41,105
|
-18.5
|
1,797,675
|
0.1
|
|
IN TOUCH |
26
|
43,422
|
-32.6
|
746,973
|
-10.5
|
790,395
|
-12.1
|
|
LIFE & STYLE |
26
|
8,529
|
-16.3
|
461,958
|
0.0
|
470,487
|
-0.4
|
|
OK! |
26
|
349,463
|
-16.7
|
404,423
|
-17.5
|
753,886
|
-17.1
|
|
PEOPLE |
26
|
2,288,572
|
3.1
|
1,325,330
|
-10.0
|
3,613,902
|
-2.1
|
|
STAR |
26
|
460,786
|
-24.3
|
574,927
|
-6.8
|
1,035,713
|
-15.5
|
|
TV GUIDE |
18
|
2,286,039
|
-26.3
|
130,581
|
-15.9
|
2,416,620
|
-25.8
|
|
US |
26
|
1,090,266
|
-1.4
|
812,089
|
1.9
|
1,902,355
|
0.0
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Travel
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ARTHUR FROMMER’S BUDGET TRAVEL |
5
|
662,495
|
-0.5
|
27,486
|
-15.0
|
689,981
|
-1.1
|
|
CONDE
NAST
TRAVELER |
6
|
795,075
|
-0.5
|
23,417
|
-17.9
|
818,492
|
-1.1
|
|
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
TRAVELER |
4
|
671,097
|
1.0
|
55,095
|
-12.5
|
726,192
|
-0.2
|
|
TRAVEL+
LEISURE |
6
|
938,063
|
1.3
|
25,644
|
-24.1
|
963,707
|
0.4
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Personal Finance
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BARRON'S |
26
|
264,830
|
0.7
|
38,204
|
-20.5
|
303,034
|
-2.6
|
|
KIPLINGER'S |
6
|
783,769
|
-0.9
|
26,991
|
-20.3
|
810,760
|
-1.7
|
|
MONEY |
6
|
1,865,148
|
2.2
|
71,022
|
-18.9
|
1,936,170
|
1.2
|
|
SMARTMONEY |
6
|
786,214
|
1.3
|
26,388
|
-37.0
|
812,602
|
-0.7
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Newsweeklies
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ECONOMIST |
25
|
755,952
|
6.3
|
57,288
|
-24.4
|
813,240
|
3.3
|
|
NEWSWEEK |
23
|
1,909,962
|
-26.4
|
62,257
|
-41.3
|
1,972,219
|
-27.0
|
|
THE WEEK |
24
|
513,664
|
-0.1
|
3,373
|
86.0
|
517,037
|
0.2
|
|
TIME |
26
|
3,239,837
|
0.5
|
89,592
|
-34.9
|
3,329,429
|
-0.9
|
|
U.S.
NEWS |
6
|
1,142,166
|
-25.9
|
46,767
|
9.6
|
1,188,933
|
-24.9
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Women's Service
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BETTER
HOMES |
6
|
7,423,667
|
-0.1
|
198,119
|
-14.4
|
7,621,786
|
-0.5
|
|
FAMILY
CIRCLE |
8
|
3,108,253
|
-0.5
|
715,000
|
-9.4
|
3,823,253
|
-2.3
|
|
FIRST FOR WOMEN |
9
|
210,810
|
3.8
|
1,041,011
|
-6.4
|
1,251,821
|
-4.8
|
|
GOOD
HSEKPING |
6
|
4,257,615
|
3.5
|
395,289
|
-30.7
|
4,652,904
|
-0.7
|
|
LADIES'
HOME
JOURNAL |
6
|
3,664,595
|
1.5
|
194,178
|
-15.9
|
3,858,773
|
0.5
|
|
MARTHA
STEWART
LIVING |
6
|
1,822,233
|
7.0
|
269,375
|
-17.6
|
2,091,608
|
3.0
|
|
MORE |
5
|
1,149,984
|
4.2
|
206,200
|
3.3
|
1,356,184
|
4.0
|
|
OPRAH |
6
|
1,817,418
|
4.5
|
662,304
|
5.8
|
2,479,722
|
4.8
|
|
REAL
SIMPLE |
6
|
1,602,723
|
0.7
|
411,705
|
6.2
|
2,014,428
|
1.7
|
|
REDBOOK |
6
|
2,099,343
|
3.5
|
126,358
|
-30.1
|
2,225,701
|
0.8
|
|
WOMAN'S
DAY |
8
|
3,497,346
|
2.4
|
469,068
|
-7.2
|
3,966,414
|
1.2
|
|
WOMAN'S
WORLD |
26
|
106,932
|
2.9
|
1,168,958
|
-4.9
|
1,275,890
|
-4.3
|
|
WOMEN'S
HEALTH |
5
|
1,133,419
|
27.9
|
321,126
|
3.3
|
1,454,545
|
21.5
|
|
WORKING
MOTHER |
4
|
827,530
|
0.0
|
800
|
-32.9
|
828,330
|
-0.1
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Parenting
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
FAMILY
FUN |
5
|
2,179,898
|
17.3
|
17,239
|
-25.7
|
2,197,137
|
16.7
|
|
PARNTNG |
6
|
2,173,357
|
3.0
|
13,867
|
-29.9
|
2,187,224
|
2.7
|
|
PARENTS |
6
|
2,031,927
|
0.8
|
36,727
|
-19.5
|
2,068,654
|
0.4
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Sports
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ESPN THE MAG |
13
|
2,060,266
|
1.2
|
21,190
|
-11.4
|
2,081,456
|
1.1
|
|
SPORTING NEWS |
12
|
530,027
|
-14.8
|
10,285
|
-1.3
|
540,312
|
-14.5
|
|
SPORTS
ILL |
25
|
3,141,179
|
-0.3
|
60,345
|
-12.4
|
3,201,524
|
-0.5
|
|
Source: ABC |
|
Personal Sports
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BICYCLNG
|
6
|
399,299
|
2.8
|
39,376
|
-9.4
|
438,675
|
1.6
|
|
GOLF DIGEST
|
6
|
1,584,567
|
1.4
|
91,063
|
-4.9
|
1,675,630
|
1.1
|
|
GOLF MAGAZINE
|
6
|
1,352,369
|
0.6
|
62,125
|
-12.6
|
1,414,494
|
0.0
|
|
GOLF WORLD
|
18
|
175,931
|
-0.1
|
-
|
-
|
175,931
|
-0.1
|
|
RUNNER’S WORLD
|
6
|
590,045
|
2.6
|
92,766
|
3.6
|
682,811
|
2.7
|
|
SKI
|
4
|
394,707
|
-0.2
|
9,706
|
-10.1
|
404,413
|
-0.5
|
|
SKIING
|
4
|
298,315
|
-0.5
|
9,128
|
-19.3
|
307,443
|
-1.2
|
|
TENNIS
|
5
|
598,453
|
0.4
|
8,346
|
-21.3
|
606,799
|
0.1
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Bridal
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BRIDAL
GUIDE |
3
|
51,194
|
-15.3
|
89,634
|
-28.5
|
140,828
|
-24.2
|
|
BRIDE'S |
3
|
164,455
|
0.9
|
145,333
|
-18.3
|
309,788
|
-9.1
|
|
MARTHA STEWART WEDDINGS |
2
|
20,723
|
-21.4
|
174,925
|
-4.2
|
195,648
|
-6.4
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Epicurean
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BON APPETIT |
6
|
1,228,316
|
-5.7
|
113,500
|
-9.1
|
1,341,816
|
-6.0
|
|
COOKING LIGHT |
6
|
1,596,883
|
-1.7
|
176,546
|
4.2
|
1,773,429
|
-1.1
|
|
COOKING WITH PAULA DEEN
|
3
|
483,680
|
-7.4
|
241,919
|
-14.2
|
725,599
|
-9.8
|
|
EVERYDAY WITH RACHAEL RAY |
5
|
1,418,861
|
1.0
|
367,744
|
-3.0
|
1,786,605
|
0.2
|
|
EVERYDAY FOOD |
5
|
971,285
|
13.3
|
107,352
|
-19.9
|
1,078,637
|
8.8
|
|
FINE COOKING
|
3
|
145,584
|
0.3
|
107,675
|
-8.9
|
253,259
|
-3.8
|
|
FOOD & WINE |
6
|
897,429
|
4.1
|
57,186
|
-12.8
|
954,615
|
2.9
|
|
FOOD NETWORK
|
4
|
839,154
|
-
|
357,681
|
-
|
1,196,835
|
-
|
|
SAVEUR |
4
|
289,375
|
0.7
|
41,420
|
0.0
|
330,795
|
0.6
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Men's
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
DETAILS |
5
|
413,459
|
9.0
|
57,200
|
-7.1
|
470,659
|
6.8
|
|
ESQUIRE |
6
|
619,212
|
1.9
|
97,326
|
-7.8
|
716,538
|
0.5
|
|
GQ |
6
|
700,565
|
1.9
|
193,440
|
-16.9
|
894,005
|
-2.8
|
|
MAXIM |
6
|
2,219,791
|
4.9
|
293,943
|
-27.7
|
2,513,734
|
-0.3
|
|
MEN'S HEALTH |
5
|
1,427,993
|
5.7
|
438,238
|
-13.8
|
1,866,231
|
0.4
|
|
MEN'S JOURNAL |
5
|
641,487
|
0.7
|
94,167
|
24.1
|
735,654
|
3.2
|
|
MEN'S FITNESS |
5
|
516,858
|
-13.7
|
85,800
|
-18.8
|
602,658
|
-14.5
|
|
PENTHOUSE |
5
|
133,959
|
-38.2
|
79,228
|
-15.0
|
213,187
|
-31.3
|
|
PLAYBOY |
5
|
1,866,468
|
-23.9
|
155,283
|
-5.3
|
2,021,751
|
-22.7
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Shelter
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
ARCH.
DIGEST |
6
|
785,550
|
4.9
|
65,167
|
-20.3
|
850,717
|
2.4
|
|
COUNTRY
LIVING |
6
|
1,480,351
|
1.4
|
137,073
|
-17.7
|
1,617,424
|
-0.6
|
|
ELLE
DECOR |
5
|
445,128
|
1.3
|
75,467
|
-9.0
|
520,595
|
-0.4
|
|
HOUSE |
3
|
10,782
|
-10.8
|
2,791
|
-5.3
|
13,573
|
-9.8
|
|
HOUSE
BTIFUL |
6
|
748,556
|
0.7
|
96,502
|
17.3
|
845,058
|
2.4
|
|
METRO
HOME |
5
|
525,575
|
0.9
|
38,231
|
-18.3
|
563,806
|
-0.7
|
|
THIS
OLD
HOUSE |
5
|
960,131
|
4.6
|
34,448
|
-3.6
|
994,579
|
4.3
|
|
VERANDA |
4
|
356,871
|
3.0
|
96,810
|
-10.6
|
453,681
|
-0.2
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Business/Finance
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
BUSINESS
WEEK -
N. AMERICA |
24
|
892,528
|
-1.0
|
25,040
|
-26.1
|
917,568
|
-2.0
|
|
ENTRPRNR |
6
|
573,194
|
1.5
|
36,274
|
-13.8
|
609,468
|
0.4
|
|
FAST COMPANY |
5
|
705,618
|
-1.5
|
28,718
|
3.0
|
734,336
|
-1.3
|
|
FORBES |
12
|
891,145
|
0.5
|
29,728
|
-9.3
|
920,873
|
0.1
|
|
FORTUNE -N.A |
12
|
830,934
|
-0.1
|
25,438
|
-24.3
|
856,372
|
-1.1
|
|
HARV BIZ REV |
5
|
209,147
|
-2.5
|
30,198
|
-3.3
|
239,345
|
-2.6
|
|
INC |
5
|
684,471
|
-0.7
|
30,839
|
29.2
|
715,310
|
0.3
|
|
Source: ABC
|
|
Automobile
Averages for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2009 |
|
Title |
Issues per period |
2009 subs |
% chg |
2009 newsstand sales |
% chg |
2009 total paid circ. |
% chg |
|
AUTOMOBILE |
6
|
529,335
|
4.6
|
41,986
|
-14.7
|
571,321
|
2.9
|
|
CAR AND
DRIVER |
6
|
1,255,665
|
3.3
|
76,331
|
-24.0
|
1,331,996
|
1.2
|
|
HOT ROD |
6
|
598,821
|
-2.6
|
58,330
|
0.8
|
657,151
|
-2.3
| |
