U.K. Magazines Present Stable Performance, Slow Growth, in Second Half of 2019
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LONDON — British print and digital circulation saw slight growth in the July to December 2019 period, according to the latest figures from the U.K.’s Audit Bureau of Circulations.
In the six months, Condé Nast said it saw a solid performance across most of its portfolio, with a very slight increase in circulation at British Vogue to 192,242, from 192,152 year-over-year.
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The title saw its September issue coedited by Meghan Markle sell out in 10 days.
Tatler’s combined print and digital circulation also only saw an increase of 0.1 percent year-over-year to 79,116.
GQ’s print and digital circulation decreased by 0.6 percent period-on-period and 6.9 percent year-over-year to a total of 102,517. Despite the drop, Condé Nast reported strong figures in digital traffic to the GQ site, with an increase of 29 percent year-over-year.
“These are a strong set of numbers in a difficult newsstand environment. Even while we see record growth across digital, events and video, print remains stable — a testament to the power of Condé Nast brands and the quality of our magazines,” said Albert Read, managing director of Condé Nast Britain.
Hearst titles saw higher growth and a stronger performance with its consumer titles. Harper’s Bazaar saw its U.K. purchased copies up 1.8 percent period-on-period and 6.8 percent year-over-year.
Women’s Health also saw its combined digital and print circulation up 1.9 percent period on period to 128, 239.
However, Elle’s circulation dropped to 125,141 from 162,243 last year. According to Hearst, this was due to a strategic decision to reposition the magazine’s status in the market with improved paper stock and increased pagination for a more luxury-minded reader.
“I am encouraged to see that we have once again retained market leadership positions in each of our monthly competitive sectors. To also have a number of brands increasing circulation is a fantastic achievement and we are proud to have a total audience reach of 13.9 million per month,” said James Wildman, chief executive officer of Hearst U.K.
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