ABC Jan – Jun 2002 Men’s Lifestyle Magazines

The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 15 August 2002. Late submissions and changes may be made after this date, and will thereafter be amended in MediaTel’s Press database. For full notes on how NewsLine’s reports are compiled please see Important Notes: ABC Jan-Jun 2002

ABC results for the six-month period ending June 2002 reveal a relatively encouraging performance for the ailing men’s magazine sector, which saw slight overall decline in circulation year on year. The majority of the sector’s high profile titles continued to see circulation fall, however, the market showed signs of stabilising with a number of magazines reporting notable year on year increases.

Emap’s market-leader, FHM, which has remained loyal to the boobs and booze formula popularised in the late nineties, was among those to see circulation decline, slipping 17.1% year on year. Dennis Publishing’s Maxim dropped 11.4% and Cabal Communications’ Front, a relative new comer to the market, saw circulation slip 7.5%. Fashion-orientated Arena experienced the sharpest year on year drop, with circulation slipping by 23.6%.

Former Loaded editor and chief executive of I Feel Good Publishing, James Brown, has been highly critical of the men’s magazines, branding them “stale” and “unoriginal” (see James Brown Unveils Jack). However, there has been some positive news for the sector, with IPC’s Uncut and IFG’s Bizarre reporting notable gains. The former saw circulation rise by 31.8% year on year, whilst the less conventional latter gained 13.4%.

IPC’s Loaded, generally regarded as the original lad’s mag, also managed a modest year on year rise, indicating that the market, which recently saw the launch of IFG’s Jack (see IFG To Launch Jack For Lads), could see a return to relative stability.

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