The entire consumer magazine
business is struggling to some degree, with certain
categories getting hit worse than others. For example,
most shelter titles are declining along with automotive,
music, and business mags. But titles targeting children
may yet win the race to the bottom, suffering even
steeper declines in ad pages and readership than their
adult colleagues.
Nickelodeon, published by
MTV Networks through Nickelodeon Mediaworks, is
imploding in a fashion worthy of the game show "Double
Dare." According to MIN Online, ad pages at the monthly
were down almost 30% through July compared to the first
seven months of 2007, to 110. Worse, the decline seems
to be accelerating, with ad pages down 68% to just 12 in
July.
Not to be outdone, National
Geographic's monthly title for children, NG Kids,
saw ad pages fall 41.5% for the year to date, to 42;
July's ad pages were down 24.6% to 15. And Sports
Illustrated for Kids, another monthly, saw ad pages
fall over 30% in the first seven months, to 87. July ad
pages were down 26.4% to 15.
Boys' Life, the venerable
monthly publication of the Boy Scouts of America, is
faring somewhat better: ad pages through July are only
down about 8.5%, to 54.5
Several children's titles have
closed during the last year, raising the question of
whether some of the current crop might go the same way
by the end of 2008. Nick Jr. Family Magazine
closed in February of last year, followed by Disney
Adventures in November.
8020 Deep-Sixes Everywhere
Everywhere, an
experimental travel magazine targeting young adults with
reader-generated content, is being closed by publisher
8020 Publishing after just four issues. 8020 is closing
the magazine in order to focus on its other
user-generated title, JPG, featuring photography
and writing. However, 8020 will hold onto the Everywhere
Web site, which is getting a makeover as the print
edition closes.
MSLO Names Preston Group
Publisher
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
has promoted Sally Preston to group publisher, with
responsibility for the company's new publishing ad sales
group representing all titles, including Martha
Stewart Living, Everyday Food, Martha Stewart Weddings
and Body + Soul. She will also work closely with
MSLO's Internet and broadcast sales teams to develop
cross-platform programs for marketers. MSLO is also
promoting Christina Cranley to group associate
publisher, and Gayle Lambert to group ad director.
Hearst Names Robinson CIO
Hearst Magazines has named Debra
Robinson to the newly created position of executive vice
president and chief information officer. In this
capacity, Robinson will direct the publisher's IT
initiatives and operations, including Hearst Magazines
Digital, CDS Global, a data-management company, the
Periodical Publishers' Service Bureau and National
Magazine Company Limited, the British branch.
