Teen publication Dare! will close less than a year after its launch and ahead of next month’s ABC results, writes Sarah Lagan.
Seven editorial staff will lose their jobs at the title but a spokesperson for BBC Magazines said they may be given alternative positions within the company.
The fortnightly lifestyle magazine for 10 to 14-year-old girls was launched last October but sales have not reached a level to make the title profitable. The August issue, which has been on sale from 21 July, is its last.
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The younger girls’ market suffered sharp declines in the last ABC results with Shout down 16.2 per cent. Cosmo Girl was the only title to increase sales, following an aggressive marketing and pricing campaign.
Dare! publisher Alfie Lewis said: “Dare! has proven extremely popular with its readers and has shown great improvements in sales over recent months.
However, the teen-magazine market is going through a difficult time, and the sales Dare! is achieving are not at the level necessary for profitable publication.
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“Therefore, despite the fantastic efforts of an incredibly talented team, we are left with no choice other than to close the title. Every effort is being made to find suitable employment for all seven editorial staff elsewhere within BBC Magazines.”
The 68-page magazine was initially launched as a fortnightly, then went to a monthly format from the May issue.
“BBC Magazines researched Dare! from its launch, and the more we responded to feedback, the more we created a title that worked better as a monthly,” added Lewis.
Dare! had a strong lifestyle element with investigations, celebrity coverage and advice on relationships and fashion.
BBC Magazines’ other teen titles, Top Of The Pops and It’s HOT!, have had better sales success: in the last ABCs, It’s HOT! showed a 12 per cent increase year on year, while TOTP extended its lead over its nearest pop rival.
Dare! editor Mink Kapferer is away and therefore unavailable for comment.
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