ABC Results Jan-Jun 2004: Nuts Out In Front Of Zoo
The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 12 August 2004. Late submissions and changes may be made after this date, and will thereafter be amended in MediaTel’s Press database. For full notes on how NewsLine’s reports are compiled please see NewsLine.
IPC’s recently launched Nuts has seen off competition from Emap’s Zoo to take the coveted top spot in the fledgling men’s weekly market, according to the latest ABC consumer magazine figures for the six months to June 2004.
Highly anticipated debut circulation figures for both titles show Nuts coming out on top of its closest rival with an average of 290,337 weekly copy sales in the first half of this year. This puts it someway ahead of Emap’s Zoo, which recorded an initial circulation of 200,125 during the same period.
The arrival of the two new weekly titles has registered its impact on established men’s monthly magazines, with FHM seeing its circulation dip by 4.5% year on year to 573,713 and Loaded bearing the brunt of the damage with a 10.2% decline during the same period to 235,140.
Meanwhile, Condé Nast’s Glamour continued to go from strength to strength in the increasingly competitive women’s monthlies market. A solid 5% year on year increase for the handbag-sized title helped it overtake FHM to become the UK’s best selling monthly magazine with a circulation of 605,747.
The National Magazine Company’s Cosmopolitan saw its circulation remain fairly stable with a slight 1.2% year on year decline to 456,447. Monthly titles targeting older twenty-something women staged something of a comeback with IPC’s Marie Claire inching up by 1.1% to 380,760 and Time Life Entertainment’s InStyle rising by 6.1% to 190,102 during the same period.
The celebrity magazine market also saw some growth in the six months to June, proving that the public’s fascination with the lives of the rich and famous is far from waning. Emap’s Closer was the sector’s biggest mover with an impressive 43.5% year on year increase to 480,187, while Northern & Shell’s New! recorded a healthy 19.1% rise to 403,864.
IPC’s Now maintained its position as market leader in the celebrity sector, despite a slight 1.8% year on year dip in circulation to just above the 580,000 mark. Emap’s gossip stalwart Heat suffered a 4.4% decline during the same period to 540,556, but is still riding high with its mix of celebrity news and entertainment.
Pressure in the notoriously fickle teen sector has already forced the closure of a number of titles including Emap’s J17 and BBC Magazine’s Dare. However, the National Magazine Company’s CosmoGIRL! saw a healthy 6.3% rise to just over the 200,000 mark and Emap’s Bliss rose by 2.6% to 257,162. Hachette Filipacchi’s Sugar maintained its position as teen queen, despite a sharp 9.6% year on year decline to 295,009.
Meanwhile, things were mixed for music magazines with Emap’s market leading Q dipping by 12.6% year on year to 150,801, ahead of a major overall and advertising push for the title. IPC’s Uncut fared slightly better with its mix of music and movies boosting it by 6.7% to 112,816. Heavy metal title Kerrang! slipped by 11% and Metal Hammer suffered a 7.3% decline during the same period.
ABC’s consumer magazine figures for the period January to June 2004 are available to subscribers in MediaTel’s press database. Detailed sector reports will also feature throughout the day on NewsLine.
ABC: 01442 200 732 www.abc.org.uk
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