ABC Results Jul-Dec 2004: Stable Gossip Sector Sees Now Stay On Top

The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 17 February 2005. 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.

The latest ABC results for the celebrity and gossip sector reveal a relatively stable industry, with IPC-owned Now retaining its position as market leader, with a 4.6% year on year increase for the last six months of 2004, commanding a circulation total of 619,186.

Commenting on the performance, Evelyn Webster, managing director of IPC Connect said: “Now has led the celebrity sector since 2001. It was the market leader when there were four magazines and it remains market leader now there are eight. The 60,000 copy sales lead we enjoy is testament to the fact that we have the best editorial team in the business and Now continues to be the readers’ favourite as a result.”

Rival company Emap, enjoyed the largest rise in circulation figures for the last six months of 2004, with Closer, recording a massive 31.0% increase in the same period, ending with a circulation high of 504,350.

Northern & Shell’s New magazine also saw impressive growth in the last six months of 2004, with a 18.5% rise taking circulation to a 396,079 high, meanwhile, the Group’s OK magazine dropped by 7.3%, with its circulation declining to 529,492.

Hachette Filipacchi’s All About Soap reported the largest drop in circulation figures, losing a massive 35.9%, taking the figures for July to December 2004 to 71,825.

IPC Media came top of the TV listings category, with Whats On TV magazine retaining its position as market leader, despite a 4.1% drop in figures, bringing circulation down to 1,587,578.

Radio Times, owned by BBC Worldwide Ltd, came second in the TV magazine market, despite also dipping in circulation, losing 4.2% to close at 1,108,718. H Bauer’s TV Choice followed closely, enjoying a 8.5 increase, bringing its total circulation for the last six months of 2004 to 1,104,291.

TV Now!, published by Minjara Ltd, saw the biggest percentage increase in circulation figures, with a 13.9% rise in the latter part of 2004 pushing the total figures up to 40,282. Emap owned Heatmagazine, dipped by 2.6%, bring the circulation down to 552,215.

Sky The Magazine, formerly, Sky Customer Magazine still remains at the top of the TV listings pile, enjoying a 5% rise for the period, taking its total to 6,390,584. However, as this is a free magazine distributed to Sky customers, it cannot be compared with the other titles in this sector.

ABC: 01442 200 732 www.abc.org.uk

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