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3 May 2010
Strong first-quarter growth in magazine ad revenue for Australia’s biggest publishers indicates better than forecast results may be ahead in 2010.
According to reports in The Australian Financial Review, The Nielsen Company ad revenue data for the top 20 magazine performers, January to March, saw combined ad revenue rising 7 per cent over the same period last year.
The results are a marked reversal of reported double-digit declines in magazine ad revenue in 2009. They augur well for 2010 and go against the industry forecasts which tipped annual growth of only 1.6 to 4 per cent.
Market leaders in the monthly category The Australian Women’s Weekly and Better Homes & Gardens showed strong growth according to the Nielsen data, with total ad revenues for the quarter of $7.5 million (up 12 per cent) and $4.2 million (up 16 per cent) respectively.
Other monthlies showing double digit increases include marie claire (up 11 per cent), Cosmopolitan (up 19 per cent), House & Garden (up 19 per cent), In Style (up 18 per cent), Women’s Health (up 36 per cent) and Good Taste (up 28 per cent).
Among the big selling weekly titles, Woman’s Day, at $10.1 million revenue for the quarter, showed no change over last year, New Idea made gains of 6 per cent to $8 million, WHO grew 12 per cent to $4.6 million while OK! was 22 per cent up on last year to $2.3 million.
The newspaper article includes reports of strong forward bookings and high single-digit growth projections for 2010/11 from ACP Magazines’ group publishing director, Phil Scott, and faster-than-industry-growth from Seven Media Group’s James Warburton.
Source: The Australian Financial Review, Monday 3 May 2010.