Northern & Shell’s OK! leapt into the top spot in the celebrity weeklies market, over taking former Emap title Closer in the latest circulation figures for the last six months of 2007.
Ok! was up 9.5 per cent year-on-year to 683,451. The now Bauer owned Closer was down 10.7 per cent to 548,584 year-on-year. Sister gossip title Heat was down 11 per cent year-on-year to 533,034. Northern & Shell’s New and Star both enjoyed circulation growth of 1.7 and 13.4 per cent respectively.
IPC’s Now, which is still without a permanent editor after the departure of Helen Johnston last year, was down 12.9 per cent year on year to 470,290.
Natmags’ Reveal, another Heat style weekly, was also down year on year to 5.6 per cent. OK! rival Hello remained relatively stable at 05,615.
A tough year in the sector is likely to be blamed partially on what was a lacklustre season of Channel 4’s Big Brother, which provides an array of coverstars for the celebrity weeklies over the summer months.
Celebrity weekly magazine ABCs for second half of 2006 (year-on-year)
- OK! 683,451 up 9.5 per cent
- Closer 548,594 down 10.7 per cent
- Heat 533,034 down 11 per cent
- Now 470,290 down 12.9 per cent
- New! 464,727 up 1.7 per cent
- Hello! 405,615, down 1.7 per cent
- Reveal 326,057 down 5.6 per cet
- Star 305,806 up 13.4 per cent
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