UK Press Advertising Forecasts: Consumer Mags Remain Stable

According to Advertising Association statistics, consumer magazines ad revenue actually grew by 3.9% in 2001, whilst all other press media were experiencing the depths of the fall-out. National newspapers and business and professional magazines, for example, suffered substantially from declining revenues.

National advertising has generally been weak in the UK over the last year or so, with both newspaper and radio groups experiencing sharp declines. Those companies which take some revenue from local and regional advertising, which has been stronger, have fared better over this period.

Similarly, business and technology revenues have been hit very hard by the collapse of the dotcom and technology boom, accounting for the poor revenue growth at business and professional publishers.

Forecasts Consumer magazines are expected to show the strongest growth in 2002 – at 3.3% – according to the AA’s forecasts; regional papers are the only other medium to show positive growth this year. Both outstrip the total advertising market growth average of just 0.1%.

Moving into 2003, national papers will once again find their feet as national advertising picks up. National press advertising is forecast to grow by 7.1%, well above the total market average of 5.7%. Business and professional magazines are also expected to show a leap back to growth, from a decline this year of 9.6% to 3.4% positive growth in 2003.

UK Press Advertising Growth Forecasts
	2000	2001	2002F	2003F
Business & prof. magazines	6.3	-5.4	-9.6	3.4
Regional newspapers	11.2	2.6	1.6	4.4
National newspapers	13.1	-8.0	-2.8	7.1
Consumer magazines	3.1	3.9	3.3	5.6
Total UK advertising	9.8	-5.2	0.1	5.7
Source: Advertising Association, June 2002

Regional Press Advertising Forecasts
	2000	2001	2002F	2003F
Display	8.9	-7.4	1.2	6.8
Classified	12.6	1.3	-3.2	2.4
Source: Advertising Association, June 2002