As Magazines Seek New Footing During the COVID-19 Crisis, Newsstands Try to Hang On

For most publishers, the newsstand business has become ancillary. But prior to The Great Recession, America’s top 500 magazines delivered nearly 350 million copies to newsstands across the country. Times have changed, to say the least. That number now is a small fraction of what it once was, and for many magazine publishers, the newsstand accounts for less than 10% of overall revenue. The drop in newsstand sales has been precipitous and consistent, double-digit year-over-year declines have been par for the course for more than a decade. Still, there have been outliers, such as good performers at Bauer Media Group with Women’s World and First for Women, as well as Meredith’s People, along with a shrinking list of other titles that are still able to generate worthwhile revenue. But now, as COVID-19 continues to disrupt every corner of the economy, questions about the viability of the newsstand are glaring. Initially, CEO of Bauer Media Group, Steven Kotok, suggests there was a slight uptick in sales as shoppers prepared to hunker down. Likewise, Meredith Magazines president, Doug Olson, acknowledged the same trend. But both implied they don’t anticipate that being a long-term trend. “We aren’t sure,” Kotok candidly admits. “We wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some decline due to foot traffic.” With non-essential businesses remaining closed in most states, Olson recognizes what was behind the short-lived uptick. “At first there were a lot of people standing in line and... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-07 15:37:04 UTC ]

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Robert Granfeldt Named General Manager of Hearst Texas Panhandle Properties, MRT

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Lifestyle Publishers Are Experiencing an E-Commerce Boom

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