Women’s Monthly Titles Take Another Tumble

Women’s monthly magazines took a tumble during the six-month period ending June 2000, with over 50% of titles showing a decrease in circulation, according to the latest ABC figures. Prima, which lost its position as market leader in the previous ABC report, took another 17% fall and is now at fourth place in the sector. Cosmopolitan was toppled from its position as market leader with sales falling 4%; its replacement was Candis, which now heads the sector with sales of 456,000.

Other titles showing significant decline included Attic Futura’s Shine, which fell 16%, Essentials, down 13% and B, which dropped by over 11%. This period also saw the closure of Emap’s Minx which saw a significant drop in its circulation in the previous ABC report (see New Market Leader As Women’s Monthlies Sector Suffers Decline). Despite the overall fall in circulation figures for this sector, however, new titles continue to launch (see Condé Nast Set To Bring US Glamour To The UK).

The only titles to show a marked increase were Women’s Journal, which climbed 20%, Zest, which increased its circulation base by 14% and Elle, which rose 7%.

Natmags now takes the highest market share in this sector; its titles make up a third of all women’s monthlies. When its takeover of Gruner & Jahr is completed later this year (see NatMags Grabs Gruner and Jahr) its lead in the women’s monthly sector will increase to 39%.

Natmags is also the latest publisher to drive its women’s content online with the launch of a new women’s portal on the internet (see Launches Brief). Although this period has seen a wane in the popularity of women’s portals (see Feature: Publishers Bring Women’s Sites Into Focus), a recent study finds more women than men in cyberspace (see Female Internet Users Outnumber Male Users In US).

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