End Of Year News Round Up: Magazines
January
January began with research from AC Nielsen and Condé Nast, which suggested that magazines are undervalued in the media mix, despite the sector’s share of adspend increasing by 1.2% year on year in the 12 months to September 2001 (see
Mags May Be Undervalued In Media Mix
The publication of the new ABC consumer magazine circulation figures brought bad news for the once vibrant men’s lifestyle market, with heavy losses for Emap’s market leading FHM, Condé Nast’s GQ, Dennis’ Maxim and IPC’s Loaded (see ABC: Men’s Market Totters; CosmoGirl! Makes 170,000 Debut). The month also brought two major closures, with Emap pulling the plug on its monthly hair and beauty title, Celebrity Looks, after admitting that it could no longer make the magazine work in the current market. Meanwhile, BBC Worldwide closed its monthly teen magazine Live & Kicking after a sizeable decline in its circulation. On a brighter note, Natmags upped its investment in young women’s health title, Zest.
March
March saw the magazine world buzzing with news that I Feel Good publishing’s new men’s magazine was to be called Jack and was set for an April launch. Emap’s teenage lifestyle magazine, Bliss, relaunched in a new A5-sized format, hoping to benefit from the Glamour effect of the smaller sizing. Other re-vamps included IPC Ignite’s Muzik, which aimed to attract a more serious dance music following. Elsewhere, Future Publishing secured its ongoing relationship with Microsoft by winning the contract to be the only Windows publication to be officially licensed by the software manufacturers. Meanwhile, Emap announced that Elle Girl launch editor, Sarah Bailey, was to take over the role of editor at Elle.
April
Spring brought more doom and gloom to the lad’s mag sector with the assertion: “The lad’s mag craze is a phenomenon that is over”, from David Davies, editor of the UK’s highest circulating men’s lifestyle magazine FHM (see Lad’s Mag Phenomenon Is Over). Despite this, former Loaded editor, James Brown, unveiled his long anticipated men’s magazine, Jack, promising an “orgy of war, animals, fashion, genius and cool” (see James Brown Unveils Jack). Elsewhere, Emap promoted the launch of its new weekly celebrity title for teens, Sneak, via a sampler edition distributed free with copies of J17 and Smash Hits. Sneak also tapped into the earning potential of the SMS texting craze by introducing an SMS gossip service for readers. Things were looking brighter over at IPC, which invested £5 million in a multi-media marketing campaign for celebrity magazine, Now. April also saw the 50th Birthday of cult music title NME, which recieved a birthday re-vamp including a new size and the introduction of a glossy cover.
May
May brought a tear to the eye of the fashion world with the news that Tyler Brűlé had stepped down from his position as editorial director of elite interiors and lifestyle magazines Wallpaper* and Spruce. The industry also waved a fond farewell to Punch, the fortnightly satirical magazine owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, which love it or loathe it, was something of an institution after almost 160 years of publication. Elsewhere, IPC Ignite appointed Andrew Sumner as the new publishing manager of its flagship men’s lifestyle magazine Loaded and Emap unveiled a new look for its rock music magazine Kerrang!.
June
The month began with BBC Magazines appointing Matt Teeman as advertising director of its newly created centralised sales team. Meanwhile, IPC Connect geared itself up for summer, releasing the latest in its series of spin-off specials from weekly women’s title Now. Elewhere, BBC Worldwide appointed former launch editor of Eve magazine, Gill Hudson, as the new editor of the Radio Times. IPC Southbank announced that Louise Chunn, deputy editor of In Style was to move up to the position of editor, following the departure of launch editor Dee Nolan.
July
The Audit Bureau of Circulations was appointed as Condé Nast’s circulation auditor, increasing ABC’s auditing share of the consumer magazine market to 40% (see ABC Appointed To Audit Condé Nast Titles). In people news, Emap Elan announced that Sharon Parsons was to take over the editorship of Period Living & Traditional Homes (see New Editor For Period Living & Traditional Homes), whilst Natmags appointed freelance journalist, Laurel Ives, as assistant editor for Cosmopolitan. Attic Futura poached Sue Asbury from Natmags, where she was PR manager for the Young Women’s group, replacing Lorraine Pearson, who left earlier this year, as PR manager for the Attic Futura portfolio.
August
August was a busy month for the magazine industry, with Hachette Filipacchi‘s acquisition of Attic Futura (see Hachette Buys Attic Futura For £40 Million), which led to the break-up of Hachette and Emap’s joint ventures. However, the month belonged to Glamour after it toppled Cosmopolitan to become the UK’s highest circulation women’s monthly (see ABC: Cosmopolitan Beaten By Glamour). The month also saw a host of high profile advertising deals, with cosmetics giant, Rimmel, sponsoring Sugar magazine’s annual model competition for the second consecutive year. Emap’s Elle announced a joint advertising deal with car manufacturer Ford (see Elle Lands Joint Deal With Ford) and Smash Hits secured a cross-promotional deal with Clarks Bootleg shoes to distribute 500,000 specially designed versions of the magazine in shoe shops across the country.
September
It was handbags at dawn for Emap and Hachette in September as both group’s attempted to re-position to advertisers after splitting up their joint ventures. Emap jumped in feet first, announcing the launch of its new women’s weekly magazine, Closer (see Emap Gets Closer To Women’s Market With New Launch). Emap spearheaded the launch by giving away over 1 million free copies of the magazine via door drops and promotions at key outdoor locations, before reporting that strong consumer magazine sales had helped offset weaker trading in the radio market in the first half of the year. However, Julie Harris, deputy managing director and group publishing director of the Elle and Top Sante titles, left the group to join Hachette as general manager of the women’s magazine group. Hachette laid out its battle-plan to become an increasingly significant UK player by consolidating its advertising operations, it also launched a new mobile marketing service across its portfolio. In other news, Peter Howarth stepped down as editor of Natmags’ men’s lifestyle magazine, Esquire, after six years, and style bible, Wallpaper*, appointed Jeremy Langmead as its new editor in chief.
October
October began with news that Hachette Filipacchi would maintain control of glossy women’s monthly magazine, Red, after lengthy negotiations and a closed bidding process (see Emap Loses Fight For Red). Hachette then quickly confirmed plans to launch the title internationally. Emap was hit by the news that Mark Ellen, head of special projects and editorial training at Emap’s consumer division, is to leave the company after 16 years of service. Further bad news was provided by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, which announced it was to re-issue figures for 14 of Emap’s consumer magazines following the publisher’s infringement of the complex rules that separate paid-for bulk copies from those circulated free (see ABC To Re-Issue Circulation Figures Across Emap Titles). Elsewhere, Condé Nast’s men’s lifestyle magazine GQ beefed up its editorial with the appointment of Will Self, who has been signed up to write a regular column about his impending mid-life crisis.
November
Emap redeemed itself in November by posting a strong set of first half financial results showing pre-tax profit before exceptional items up by 23% to £86 million during the six months to 30 September 2002 (see Emap Shows Good Results In Improving Markets). The company also issued a publishing statement for its teenage title, Bliss, after claiming that the latest ABC figures failed to reflect the impact of its relaunch in April. Elsewhere, H Bauer launched a new upmarket lifestyle magazine, called threesixtyş and Kerrang! appointed its youngest ever editor, 26-year-old Ashley Bird.
December
December, which was a relatively quite month for the magazine industry, saw River Publishing win the contract to publish Virgin Train’s customer magazine, HotLine, from John Brown Citrus Publishing. Elsewhere, Hachette Filipacchi said happy 100th issue to its glossy teen monthly, Sugar, with a special bumper birthday edition. Elsewhere IPC chief executive, Sly Bailey, shocked the industry with news she was to replace Philip Graf as chief executive of Trinity Mirror, when he steps down early next year (see Bailey Leaves IPC To Replace Graf At Trinity Mirror).
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive