Computing Sector Shows Strong Growth Whilst Lifestyle Monthlies Are Failing
The latest magazine circulation figures, for the January-June 1999 period, show that the computing, games and internet market is currently burgeoning with a growth of over 14.1% from the titles listed here. This is in stark contrast to the men’s and women’s monthlies sectors, which have both fallen into decline according to these latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).
The games console magazines are performing strongly in this audit, with Future Publishing’s Essential Playstation magazine putting on 95,000 (49.0%) in sales. Future, which concentrates on computing and gaming magazines, has done well from the boom in this sector with its N64, Official Playstation Magazine and Gamesmaster titles all turning in very strong results.
EMAP, on the hand, does not seem to have sussed the market like Future has, with its Computer & Video Games, Official Nintendo Magazine, Playstation Plus and Internet Magazine all showing declines in circulation. Dennis Publishing’s PC Zone turned in a strong performance with a 21.4% year on year increase in circulation.
| Computing & Internet ABC Jan-Jun 1999 YoY Comparisons | ||||
| Title | Jan 98 – Jun 98 | Jan 99 – Jun 99 | Actual Change | % Change |
| .Net | 50,161 | 55,280 | 5,119 | 10.2 |
| 64 Magazine | 34,049 | 36,456 | 2,407 | 7.1 |
| 64 Solutions | 26,117 | 23,156 | -2,961 | -11.3 |
| Al-Computer & Electronics Magazine | 28,908 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Amiga Format | 19,220 | 13,264 | -5,956 | -31.0 |
| Arcade | n/a | 35,822 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer & Video Games | 78,976 | 68,210 | -10,766 | -13.6 |
| Computer Arts | 30,193 | 35,091 | 4,898 | 16.2 |
| Computer Arts Special | n/a | 19,137 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer Buyer | 52,106 | 51,223 | -883 | -1.7 |
| Computer Music | n/a | 28,139 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer Publishing | n/a | 20,430 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer Shopper | 171,105 | 173,256 | 2,151 | 1.3 |
| Edge | 27,610 | 29,263 | 1,653 | 6.0 |
| Essential Playstation | 64,289 | 95,781 | 31,492 | 49.0 |
| Gamesmaster | 58,700 | 67,852 | 9,152 | 15.6 |
| Government Computing | n/a | 13,063 | n/a | n/a |
| Internet @ccess | 16,062 | 19,041 | 2,979 | 18.5 |
| Internet Magazine | 53,221 | 47,192 | -6,029 | -11.3 |
| Internet Works | 20,308 | 24,388 | 4,080 | 20.1 |
| Mac User | 29,347 | 30,465 | 1,118 | 3.8 |
| MacFormat | 38,244 | 36,781 | -1,463 | -3.8 |
| Micro Computer Mart | n/a | 27,057 | n/a | n/a |
| N64 | 56,310 | 82,867 | 26,557 | 47.2 |
| N64 Pro | 28,285 | 30,215 | 1,930 | 6.8 |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 90,226 | 90,162 | -64 | -0.1 |
| Official Playstation Magazine | 314,114 | 385,764 | 71,650 | 22.8 |
| Official Playstation Special | n/a | 63,994 | n/a | n/a |
| PC Answers | 35,114 | 37,342 | 2,228 | 6.3 |
| PC Basics | n/a | 30,584 | n/a | n/a |
| PC Format | 110,227 | 97,627 | -12,600 | -11.4 |
| PC Gamer | 65,378 | 77,220 | 11,842 | 18.1 |
| PC Gaming World | 41,404 | 42,109 | 705 | 1.7 |
| PC Guide | 23,597 | 20,059 | -3,538 | -15.0 |
| PC Home | 40,174 | 40,239 | 65 | 0.2 |
| PC Plus | 117,149 | 126,815 | 9,666 | 8.3 |
| PC Pro | 142,160 | 155,184 | 13,024 | 9.2 |
| PC Review | 21,333 | 20,032 | -1,301 | -6.1 |
| PC Zone | 58,653 | 71,200 | 12,547 | 21.4 |
| Personal Computer World | 138,226 | 141,746 | 3,520 | 2.5 |
| Play | 71,153 | 76,528 | 5,375 | 7.6 |
| Playstation Plus | 96,795 | 61,092 | -35,703 | -36.9 |
| Playstation Power | 84,197 | 94,231 | 10,034 | 11.9 |
| Playstation Pro | 70,050 | 60,772 | -9,278 | -13.2 |
| PowerStation | 48,860 | 49,277 | 417 | 0.9 |
| Total | 2,452,021 | 2,805,406 | 353,385 | 14.4 |