News	News category

Cash-strapped U.S. consumers hold off buying Cosmo, O

12.08.2008 17:00 Arts - Source: cbc.ca

The ailing U.S. economy has begun to affect periodical publishing, with newstand sales of U.S. magazines falling 6.3 per cent in the first half of 2008.

Consumers are cutting back on non-essential spending because of rising gas and food costs, and that's hurt sales of most magazines, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Cosmopolitan, usually the top selling magazine on newstands, saw sales fall six per cent to 1.75 million copies in the year to June 30.

Among the top 10 U.S. magazines, In Touch Weekly, US Weekly, Woman's World and O, The Oprah Magazine, each posted a double-digit decline.

Only People, which published the first pictures of Angelina Jolie's twins earlier this year and recently won a bidding war to publish pictures of J-Lo's new babies, posted newstand gains. Its sold 5.2 per cent more copies in the first half of the year.

Newstand sales are a revenue generator for magazines, because newstand prices are higher than subscription prices.

However, many magazines try to encourage subscriptions in an economic downturn when consumers are less likely to spend freely. Ad rates are often contingent on circulation figures.

U.S. newspapers have suffered significant declines in newstand sales and subscription circulation in the past 10 years as consumers turned more to the internet and other electronic media for their news.

Magazines may be suffering the same fate, the audit bureau said.

As with newspapers, magazines have been struggling with declining ad revenue. In the second quarter, magazines had 8.2 per cent fewer ad pages, the Publishers Information Bureau reported.

With files from the Associated Press

Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: S M L XL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACK

More Media Headlines

Rolling Stone to shrink to standard magazine sizeRolling Stone magazine is abandoning its signature large format and will scale down to standard magazine size in an October redesign.Cash-strapped U.S. consumers hold off buying Cosmo, O The ailing U.S. economy has begun to affect periodical publishing, with newstand sales of U.S. magazines falling 6.3 per cent in the first half of 2008.Stars hail Bernie Mac as comic master, great friendFriends of performer Bernie Mac, who died Saturday in Chicago from complications from pneumonia, are expressing their grief and praise for the 50-year-old comedian. Comedian Bernie Mac dies from pneumonia complicationsComedian Bernie Mac has died in a Chicago hospital at age 50.Fashion critic Blackwell in a coma: partnerFashion critic Richard Blackwell, whose annual best and worst-dressed lists have celebrities quivering in their stilettos, has been in a coma after falling at his home, according to his partner.

More Arts Headlines

West Side Story one of 2 musicals at Stratford in 2009The Stratford Shakespeare Festival will rumble to the sounds of West Side Story in 2009, one of two musicals announced Tuesday for the next season.Broadway playwright, actor George Furth dies at 75Actor and playwright George Furth, best known for his collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, has died at the age of 75.Rolling Stone to shrink to standard magazine sizeRolling Stone magazine is abandoning its signature large format and will scale down to standard magazine size in an October redesign.Inflatable dog turd sculpture escapes Swiss museum, wreaks havocA powerful gust of wind recently swept a house-sized sculpture of dog feces from its display outside a Swiss museum, an art official in Berne said Monday.Olympic organizers reveal lip-synched child performanceChina's flamboyant Olympics opening ceremony on Friday has lost some of its lustre, following an official's revelation of lip-synching at the over-the-top event.