Fitness and technology mags buck men’s lifestyle slump
ABCs: Specialist male-targeted titles covering fitness and technology have bucked the continuing decline in circulation for men’s lifestyle magazines, according to ABC data.
The Men’s Lifestyle sector’s average net circulation declined 3.8% to 2.12 million in the six months to 30 June compared with the same period last year.
Monthly “lad’s mags” Bauer’s FHM and IPC’s Loaded were among the biggest fallers, reporting average monthly circulation drops of 16.7% to 192,586 and 24.8% to 53,591 respectively compared with the second half of last year.
Weekly titles Nuts and Zoo suffered a similar fate, down 16.8% and 21.6% compared with the previous six-month period.
Conde Nast’s technology title Wired increased circulation by 3.6% to 50,009 while the BBC’s science and technology title Focus rose 2.6% to 73,614.
River Publishing’s Healthy For Men increased 9.7% to 56,356 while Dennis’ Men’s Fitness rose 0.1% to 68,123.
Market leader Men’s Health slipped just 1.9% to 245,754.
In the motoring sector, market leader Top Gear fell 5.2% period on period to 190,375. Conor McNicholas recently quit as editor of the magazine after less than a year in the role.
Heavy metal magazines were the only strong performers in the Rock Music magazine sector, which continued to flounder overall.
Collectively, rock music magazines slumped 4.6% to 555,647 in the first-half of the year.
IPC’s NME fell 12% period on period to 33,875, while sister title Uncut fell 1.9% to 74,067. Bauer’s Mojo and Q fell 6.9% and 5.7% respectively.
Future’s Metal Hammer and Bauer’s Kerrang! bucked the trend, up 5.4% to 44,034 and 7% to 44,013 respectively.
