Consumer Magazines' Ad Revenue, Pages Continue Precipitous Decline
July 13, 2009
Consumer magazines advertising revenue and pages got hammered again in the second quarter, as total consumer rate-card-reported ad revenue declined 22 percent against the same period in 2008, according to Publishers Information Bureau (PIB). Ad pages fell even faster -- by 29.5 percent -- compared to the second quarter last year.
Ad revenue for the first half is off 21.2 percent from last year's first-half totals, and pages have plummeted 27.9 percent.
"Marketers remain extremely cautious in this challenging economic environment, which is reflected in the latest magazine advertising PIB data," said Ellen Oppenheim, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Magazine Publishers of America. "Sectors most severely affected by the downturn -- automotive, finance and retail -- show the greatest declines in ad revenue and paging during the first half."
"Some ad sub-categories showed growth," added Oppenheim, "including food seasonings and ingredients, household cleaning products, and hair and hygiene products, which contributed to first half ad gains for a number of titles with a focus on nesting, fitness and celebrities."
Still, 2009 is shaping up thus far to be the worst year for consumer magazines since the Great Depression.
Ad revenue for the first half is off 21.2 percent from last year's first-half totals, and pages have plummeted 27.9 percent.
"Marketers remain extremely cautious in this challenging economic environment, which is reflected in the latest magazine advertising PIB data," said Ellen Oppenheim, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Magazine Publishers of America. "Sectors most severely affected by the downturn -- automotive, finance and retail -- show the greatest declines in ad revenue and paging during the first half."
"Some ad sub-categories showed growth," added Oppenheim, "including food seasonings and ingredients, household cleaning products, and hair and hygiene products, which contributed to first half ad gains for a number of titles with a focus on nesting, fitness and celebrities."
Still, 2009 is shaping up thus far to be the worst year for consumer magazines since the Great Depression.
My career, since I was 17, has been in the printing/publishing industry. I have been unemployed for over a year, and while my job search has been discouraging, this news is unsettling. I know about the declines but wonder what will happen to those of us who are trying to survive the last years to retirement. We are still creative people who have fallen by the wayside, too young to quit...too old to be placed in jobs in competition with college grads/younger or to start new. And yes, whether anyone wants to admit it, there is age discrimination happening. I will keep up hope while I do small side jobs and try to take in some freelance work and pray for those that are in the same situation. Thank you.