Dennis to close print edition of Maxim UK
Dennis Publishing is set to axe the print edition of men’s magazine Maxim and run it as an online-only title after its June issue, which hits newsstands on April 23.
The publishing group claims it is bolstering its online editorial team to develop more content for the Maxim.co.uk website, which currently has 500,000 unique users per month.
Current subscribers to the print edition will be given the option of subscribing the US version of Maxim or to one of Dennis’ other men’s lifestyle magazines.
The news comes just a week after Alpha Media Group, the US firm that bought Maxim US and Blender magazines from Dennis in 2007, announced plans to close Blender‘s print edition in a bid to achieve more success with an online-only version of the title (see Former Dennis magazine Blender to close).
Alpha Media Group was formed following the acquisitions of Dennis’ US operation in August 2007, which saw it buy the rights to the global operations of Maxim, Stuff and Blender for $240 million.
Last month, Carat’s press director Dominic Williams said there is “too much choice” in the men’s magazine market and forecast more closures in 2009 (see Williams: “There is too much choice in the men’s magazine market”).
At the time, Williams doubted the future of Maxim UK, which suffered a significant 41.5% year on year decline in the last ABC release (see ABC Results Jul-Dec 2008:Shortlist shows staying power in men’s lifestyle sector).
Maxim‘s circulation has dropped from 208,140 to just 41,148 in the past four years, however, it is not the only men’s title to have performed badly in recent times.
Bauer Media’s Arena saw its circulation fall to under 30,000 copies and subsequently ceased printing after 22 years in March.
FHM has also suffered a significant decline in recent years – its current circulation of 243,299 is a big drop from the 550,101 of four years ago.
However, free title’s Shortlist and Sport achieved well in the ABC results for July to December 2008, which is perhaps a reflection of the current economic conditions.
Men’s weekly Shortlist had the highest circulation in the men’s lifestyle sector at 506,000 copies, up by 5.1% period on period, while fellow freebie Sport recorded a period on period rise of almost 1.5% to 317,000 copies.