EMAP’s Heat Given Overhaul After Poor Sales

EMAP is to make broad editorial changes to its new weekly listings and entertainment magazine, Heat after the title failed to meet its target circulation of 100,000. Announcing the media company’s annual financial results yesterday, EMAP chief executive Kevin Hand, admitted that the magazine is only selling around 60,000 copies per issue (see EMAP’s Consumer Mags Group Reports 16% Rise In Profit).

Heat‘s launch in January this year was accompanied by a £4 million promotional campaign representing EMAP’s largest magazine launch for some time. The launch also caused a flurry of complaints to arrive at the Independent Television Commission after the TV campaign showed the title’s readers apparently bursting into flames (see Complainants Get Hot Under The Collar Over Heat Ad).

Hand said that if the changes to the title failed to boost its circulation to around 100,000 he would be forced to close Heat rather than ‘waste shareholders’ money’. As part of Heat‘s new direction EMAP has brought in Q editor David Davies to take control of the helm and Hand is confident that Davies will be able to improve the title’s sales.

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