ABC Jan – Jun 2002 Computer, Gaming And Internet Magazines

The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 15 August 2002. 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 Important Notes: ABC Jan-Jun 2002

ABC results for the six month period ending in June 2002 bring less than impressive news for the computer and internet magazines sector, which saw circulation decline by 23.5% year on year. The sector’s highest circulating titles, both owned by Dennis Publishing, saw significant downward movement, with PC Pro slipping 6.4% year on year to 126,550 and Computer Shopper dropping 8.6% to 121,153.

Paragon Publishing’s Practical Internet suffered the sharpest decline, with circulation falling 33.5% to 11,605, down from 17,459 in the same period the previous year. Paragon’s PC Basics was the only title to see circulation rise, experiencing a healthy 13.6% increase to 18,013.

There was a significant amount of movement in the gaming sector, which saw circulation rise by 14.3% year on year. Once again titles attached to newer consoles benefited at the expense of those relating to older ones. This was made clear in the case of Future Publishing’s Official Playstation 2 magazine, which experienced a 137% rise in circulation to 195,293, while its Official Playstation magazine saw a 44.1% year on year decline to 74,383.

The sector also benifited from the launch of FXM International’s Official UK Xbox Magazine, which reported a initial circulation of 38,409, while its X Gamer title debuted at 33,484.

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