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February 12, 2009

Magazine ABCs: Lads’ mags take circulation hit

By Dominic Ponsford

Sales of Lads mags Zoo, Nuts and Loaded all dived in the second half of 2008.

However men’s monthly Maxim appears to have put the brakes on its circulation slide.

Although the Dennis monthly was down 41.4 per cent year on year with a circulation of 45,951 – it was slightly up compared with the first half of 2008, when it was selling 43,542 copies a month.

Editor Michael Donlevy left the title in November when Ben Raworth, new product development editor-in-chief at Dennis, took charge in the new role of editorial director.

IPC’s Nuts retains the lead over Emap’s Zoo with 234,034 sales a week – down 13.3 per cent year on year – compared with Zoo on 145,555, down 18.7 per cent.

Monthly title Men’s Health was the best performer in the sector – up 4.1 per cent year on year to 250,095.

And with market leader FHM dropping 13.5 per cent to 272,545, it could only be a matter of time before Men’s Health becomes the top-selling men’s magazine.

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Free weeklies Shortlist and Sport continue to be the top titles by overall circulation – with distribution figures of 505,970 and 317,257 respectively.

The original lads’ mag, Loaded, shed 21.7 per cent of its sales year on year, dropping to 90,071. That compares with a peak of over 450,000 sales a month 10 years ago.

Other monthlies fared better – with Arena up 16.4 per cent to 29,374, Esquire up 0.4 per cent to 60,051 and GQ up 0.4 per cent to 130,094

Men’s interest magazines

Shortlist (free) – 505,970 (N/A)
Sport (free) – 317,257 (0.0%)
FHM – 272,545 (-13.5%)
Men’s Health – 250,094 (4.1%)
Nuts – 234,034 (-13.3%)
Zoo – 145,555 (-18.7%)
GQ – 130,094 (0.4%)
Stuff – 95,072 (-1.9%)
Loaded – 90,071 (-21.7%)
BBC Focus – 70,326 (7.7%)
Men’s Fitness – 67,160 (2.5%)
Healthy for Men – 62,687 (N/A)
T3 – 60,127 (0.2%)
Esquire – 60,051 (0.4%)
Maxim – 45,951 (-41.4%)
Bizarre – 40,936 (-18.3%)
Square Mile Magazine (free) – 33,079 (3.4%)
Arena – 29,374 (16.4%)

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