Take A Break Retains Huge Lead In Women’s Weekly Market
Women’s weeklies took a dive in the ABC report for the period Jan – June 2000. The market appears to have slumped with the majority of titles seeing a drop in sales in a year on year comparison.
Nothing much has changed with the leader board. Bauer’s Take A Break is down on last year’s figure but continues to storm ahead with a circulation of 1,181,693. This is still 490,998 copies ahead of the second placed title, Woman magazine, which has a circulation of 690,695, an 0.7% increase on the same period last year.
Whilst most of the women’s weekly titles were taking a decline in sales, a few are still proving their worth, however. Included in this is the newly branded IPC Media’s Now, which had the biggest year on year increase in this market and Northern & Shell’s OK! Magazine with circulations of 425,087 and 455,162 respectively.
That’s Life also did well this time round with a 8.9% year on year increase, taking it to 567,000. Gruner & Jahr’s Best didn’t do so well with a drop in copies of 11,461. Maybe the recent takeover by National Magazine Company of Gruner & Jahr will give the title the boost it needs to increase its circulation next time round.
IPC Media’s Woman’s Realm took the brunt of the biggest drop in circulation; it was down 12.1% on its figure last year with an audit of 160,490 copies down from 182,609. The other IPC Media titles, Woman’s Weekly and Woman’s Own also took a drop with figures of 523,353 and 577,602 respectively.
| Women’s Weekly Magazines Circulations | |||||
| Title | Publishing Company | Jan 99 – Jun 99 | Jan 00 – Jun 00 | Actual Change | % Change |
| Bella | H Bauer Publishing | 585,295 | 553,869 | -31,426 | -5.4 |
| Best | Gruner & Jahr | 467,330 | 455,869 | -11,461 | -2.5 |
| Chat | IPC | 502,364 | 477,301 | -25,063 | -5.0 |
| Hello! | Hello Ltd | 493,322 | 458,663 | -34,659 | -7.0 |
| Lady | Lady | 47,681 | 44,826 | -2,855 | -6.0 |
| My Weekly | DC Thomson & Co | 350,921 | 332,771 | -18,150 | -5.2 |
| Now | IPC | 386,383 | 425,087 | 38,704 | 10.0 |
| OK Magazine | Northern & Shell | 413,148 | 455,162 | 42,014 | 10.2 |
| People’s Friend | DC Thomson & Co | 427,786 | 407,679 | -20,107 | -4.7 |
| Take A Break | H Bauer Publishing | 1,255,832 | 1,181,693 | -74,139 | -5.9 |
| That’s Life! | H Bauer Publishing | 521,223 | 567,414 | 46,191 | 8.9 |
| Woman | IPC | 686,169 | 690,695 | 4,526 | 0.7 |
| Woman’s Own | IPC | 597,179 | 577,602 | -19,577 | -3.3 |
| Woman’s Realm | IPC | 182,609 | 160,490 | -22,119 | -12.1 |
| Woman’s Weekly | IPC | 567,091 | 523,353 | -43,738 | -7.7 |
| Total | 7,484,333 | 7,312,474 | -171,859 | -2.3 | |
Looking at the whole women’s weekly market, IPC Media is still ahead of its closest competition. Its titles take a 39% share of the women’s weeklies market. The Bauer titles are not too far behind with 31% share of the market.
So no surprises in this sector with the same titles continuing to do well.
| Women’s Weeklies Magazine Market Share By Publishing Company | ||
| Publishing Company | Jan – Jun 2000 | |
| Gruner & Jahr | 455,869 | 6.23 |
| DC Thomson & Co | 740,450 | 10.13 |
| H Bauer Publishing | 2,302,976 | 31.49 |
| Hello Ltd | 458,663 | 6.27 |
| IPC Media | 2,854,528 | 39.04 |
| Lady | 44,826 | 0.61 |
| Northern & Shell | 455,162 | 6.22 |
| Total | 7,312,474 | 100 |
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