Newsstand Stars

The first half might have been dire on the newsstand for most magazine
publishers, but there were a few who bucked the downward trend and
maintained their strength over the past two years.

A handful of healthy living and lifestyle titles made up the majority of
the top newsstand performers among major consumer magazines from June 2004
to June 2006, according to figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
While some magazines improved their single-copy sales in part due to
redesigns, others posted big gains in their two-year averages simply by
growing sales off a very small base.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Body + Soul posted the largest increase
of the group, as single-copy sales jumped 177.8 percent for the period.
MSLO acquired the natural living monthly in August 2004 and has invested in
doubling its distribution, primarily in high-end supermarkets and
bookstores. A redesign in March 2005 also helped target a wider range of
readers. "The cover lines are more accessible, practical and serviceable
for women — [they're about] finding balance, reducing stress, eating
better," said publisher Jan Bruce.

Celebrity weeklies have, not surprisingly, also posted strong newsstand
gains as the category has expanded. Bauer Publishing's In Touch and Wenner
Media's Us Weekly both made the list, posting respective increases of 57.2
percent and 34.9 percent over the two-year period.

As Dwell's circulation has grown from 50,000 to 250,000 in six years, the
design title celebrated a 48.8 percent gain in newsstand sales since 2004.
That said, it may have a challenge to maintain its momentum as Allison
Arieff, Dwell's editor in chief since August 2002, resigned this week [see
Memo Pad below].

The National Geographic franchise also has seen great gains at newsstand,
posting double-digit jumps for three of its biggest magazines. Finally,
Meredith Corp.'s More has shown strength under editor Peggy Northrop, who
joined the title in April 2004. The monthly for fortysomething women has
gained 42.8 percent since June 2004, helped by a redesign in November 2004
that improved newsstand sales 25 percent in the first half of 2005.

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