Essential’s Real Magazine Closes

Real, the monthly women’s lifestyle magazine published by Essential Publishing, has closed after a large year on year decline in circulation.

Real changed from a fortnightly to monthly format last month. At the last ABCs, covering January to June 2006, Real‘s circulation fell by nearly 60,000 copies year on year, or around 29%, leaving it with a total figure of 143,849.

According to reports in the trade press, the staff of Real were told of the closure yesterday afternoon.

Real underwent a revamp last month, and editor Dave Claridge said at the time: “The switch to monthly had always been planned as the final part of the modernising process and, at only £1.40, Real represents the best value of any monthly in the market. We are very excited about the future of the product.”

Other relatively large declines at the last ABCs included IPC’s Essentials, which fell by 29.6% year on year, and Marie Claire, which was down by more than 50,000 copies year on year.

ABC figures for July-December 2006 are released on February 15, with NewsLine providing comprehensive coverage of all areas of the results.

Essential Publishing: 01206 851 117 www.essentialpublishing.co.uk