In this testing market publishers are doing everything to support their circulations. Two means employed are not always realised as much as perhaps they should be. The first is that there is a continuing trend amongst some titles to boost overall sales with bulks. In some cases over a quarter of the total circulation can be made up from publishers selling copies to third parties often at greatly reduced prices. Arguably, when these distribution channels are airlines and hotels, as they often are, the audience can still be relevant, but because they are freely distributed, the value placed on these readers should perhaps not be as high as active purchasers. Circulations are being further buoyed by hugely incentivised subscription offers. Subscriptions used to be a positive indication of a title’s appeal, but some glossy magazines are now charging subscribers as little as £1 a copy and are sometimes giving away gifts with a face value  far in excess of the year’s total subscription, even at full cover price. It is questionable how sustainable many of these readers are and how valuable to advertisers.

By: Graham Painter