ABC Jan-Jun 2003: Emap Sneaks Into Teen Sector
The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as of Thursday 14 August 2003. 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 January – June 2003.
The latest ABC results for the six months to June 2003 saw Emap’s new weekly teen gossip magazine, Sneak, enter the notoriously volatile teenage magazine sector with an initial circulation of 100,107.
The title for 13 to 19 year-olds, which launched last April with the backing of an extensive cross-media advertising campaign (see Emap Teen Titles To Aid Sneak Launch), appears to be successfully cashing in on the current obsession with all things celebrity.
Meanwhile, PopWorld magazine, which is also new on the teen scene, entered the market with an initial circulation of 63,509, placing it just behind DC Thompson & Co’s Shout, which suffered a 27.3% year on year decline in the first half of 2003 to 88,114.
One of the sector’s most positive performances came from BBC Worldwide’s Top Of The Pops magazine. The title experienced a 7.4% year on year increase in circulation, proving that its blend of interviews, gossip and music-led features is still popular with its key 11 to 19 year-old readership.
National Magazine Company’s baby glossy, CosmoGIRL!, also saw circulation rise by 7.4% after relauching earlier this year with a series of new editorial features and the handbag-sized format made popular by Condé Nast’s Glamour (see CosmoGIRL! Relaunches With New Handbag Size).
However, Hachette Filipacchi’s Sugar, the monthly lifestyle guide to beauty, fashion and entertainment, maintained its market leading position, despite a year on year decline in circulation to 326,185. TV Hits also performed positively with a slight increase during the same period to 143,842.
The latest ABC results brought less than impressive news for IPC’s Mizz, which suffered an 18.6% year on year decline in circulation. The increasingly competitive nature of the sector also recently claimed H Bauer’s fledgling teenage title, Blush!, which closed less than a year after its launch (see H Bauer Calls Time On Blush! Magazine).
Earlier this week BBC Magazines announced plans to shake-up the teen magazine sector, with the launch of a new title for 12-14 year-olds in the autumn. Details of the launch, codenamed Project April, are being closely guarded, but reports suggest the magazine could be similar to Emap’s Sneak (see BBC To Shake-Up Teen Magazine Sector With New Launch).
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