Comag Marketing Group, LLC » Magazine Publishing

Magazine newsstand sales decline

Brian — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:58:18 +0000

Canadian magazines experienced some devastating sales declines during the 1st half of 2008. The following titles are included in this category: Canadian Family (-75%), Canadian Home & Country (-56%), Wish (-53%), Canadian Business (-38.8%), Flare (-28.5%), LouLou (English) (-23.3%), Chatelaine (-21.2%), and The Hockey News (-15.9%).
Digital Home

Asda backtracks on demanding editorial space in mags

Brian — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:57:19 +0000

ASDA (subsidiary of Walmart) has called off some of their proposed changes to the distribution deals that they had in place with magazine publishers and distributors. The retail chain had received a great deal of negative feedback from the publishing community after ASDA’s magazine buyer had released a series of demands that were branded as “outrageous”. A source was quoted as saying, “They are modifying their original stance but you still feel they are acting a bit like a mugger concealing a weapon. They are used to their suppliers doing what they want them to do,” the source said. “They are almost naively surprised that the publishing market has not rolled over. The list of points that was made [in the original email] has been gradually crossed out and they are reverting to things that they can do.”

guardian.co.uk

Glossy titles set to suffer severe drop in monthly sales

Brian — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:17:17 +0000

In Britain, when the Audit Bureau of Circulation releases their 1st Half 2008 figures, it has been predicted that significant sales reductions will be realized for some celebrity and women’s magazines.

Brand Republic UK

Leary Rocks

Brian — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:03:56 +0000

Actor Denis Leary is set to host the FASHION ROCKS 2008 event. Supported by Conde Nast’s Media Group, the annual fashion-meets-music extravaganza this year moves from London to the famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where confirmed acts Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Kid Rock, Duffy, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, L’il Wayne, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Chris Cornell, One Republic, Pussycat Dolls, Solange Knowles and Timbaland (with special guest Lynyrd Skynyrd) will team up with as-yet unnamed designers for some of the most eagerly anticipated performances on the calendar.

Vogue.co.UK

Magazine firms furious at Asda demands

Brian — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:54:52 +0000

The U.K.’s ASDA grocery chain, owned by WALMART USA, is seeking “outrageous” concessions from magazine publishers. An ASDA email memo, sent to British magazine publishers and distributors has outlined a series of proposed conditions with which publishers are requested to comply. These proposals are as follows;

- Asda’s demands include a request for two pages of editorial or advertising space each month in titles of the company’s choosing.

- Another is that shop space given over to a distributor’s titles will be subject to a “space contribution” of £10,000 paid to the supermarket.

- Asda is asking for a space contribution for each new Asda store opened of £2,500 per magazine title to be paid to the supermarket.

- The supermarket company is also demanding that any new title distributed in its stores will be subject to an “item set up” charge of £2,464.

guardian.co.uk

Little shop of mags belongs to a dying breed

Brian — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:24:54 +0000

Independent newsstands seem to be a throwback from a bygone retail era. In Victoria (BC), City Hall News despite competition from a nearby Chapters superstore and a shifting demograhic base has managed to have their customers keep coming back.

The Globe & Mail

Fitch Says Bad, But Not Like Newspapers

Jennifer — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:12:10 +0000

An extensive report published by Fitch Ratings indicated that U.S. consumer magazines continue to struggle in the weakening economy, but are positioned to fair better than newspapers. Folio (July 10, 2008)

How 365 days of Cosmo advice saved my life

Brian — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:06:58 +0000

Author Cathy Alter spoke to The Globe & Mail about her new book; Up For Renewal: What Magazines Taught Me About Love, Sex, and Starting Over. Her life was like a hurricane. After a year of following advice from COSMOPOLITAN and GLAMOUR, Cathy has turned her life around.

The Globe & Mail

The biggest company you’ve never heard of

Brian — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:50:54 +0000

B2B publisher IDG is no small fish. They have over 450 websites, 300 magazines, 13,000 employees and revenues over £3bn. Their strategy to move online appears to be paying dividends.

The Guardian

Downturn? We’re doing fine says publisher launching Wired UK

Brian — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:17:41 +0000

Conde Nast U.K., has announced the launch of a British version of WIRED. Publisher Jamie Jouning perceives the challenging economy as an ‘opportunity not a threat’. ‘We’ve done a lot of research into this launch and genuinely feel there’s not a better time to launch. Technology is playing an increasingly important role in contemporary civilisation and I think people have a genuine desire to engage at the moment. The advertisers that we’ve spoken to, and we’ve spoken to lots, are very excited about the launch, and we see the uncertainty about the economic climate as an opportunity, not a threat.”

Press Gazette