IPC denies plans to publish Soaplife magazine every week

SoaplifeIPC Media’s decision to publish Soaplife magazine two weeks in a row has created confusion over the fortnightly title’s frequency.

Soaplife went on sale on October 2 and was followed a week later by a second issue on October 9, but IPC Media denies that it plans to change the frequency of the fortnightly TV listings title.

A spokeswoman says the next issue of Soaplife will be out as usual on October 16, followed by October 30.

Soaplife publishing director Angela O’Farrell explains: “We recently published two issues of Soaplife in two weeks to take advantage of the strong consumer interest in soaps.

“We have no plans to make Soaplife a weekly title at this stage,” she adds.

Soaplife competes against some big titles in the saturated radio and television guides category, including sister title What’s on TV, which sells over 1.4 milllion copies a week and leads the market.

Soaplife has a circulation of 109,427 copies every fortnight. According to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for January to June 2007, its circulation was up 12.2% period on period and up 18.2% over the year.

Soaplife’s main rival is Hachette Filipacchi-owned fortnightly All About Soap. It sells 21,808 fewer copies every fortnight but also posted both year-on-year and period-on-period circulation increase.