Despite a troubled print advertising market, publishers still believe in the power of glossy paper and ink: They launched 114 magazines in the first half of 2012. That puts the year roughly on par with 2011, when 111 new titles appeared during the same period, according to online database MediaFinder.com, which tracks U.S. and Canadian publications. The New York-based company released its first-half survey results Monday. The other good news was that closures of print titles have slowed. MediaFinder.com found that 45 magazines folded between January and June, compared to 66 in the year-ago period. (If digital-only magazines are included, MediaFinder.com counted 133 launches and 48 closures in the first half, versus 138 launches and 74 closures in the same period last year.) Results for magazines stand in stark contrast to those for newspapers around the country, which have been slashing personnel and retreating from daily publication in the face of hemorrhaging ad dollars and rising costs. "The magazine industry has stabilized," said Trish Hagood, president of MediaFinder.com parent Oxbridge Communications Inc. Unlike struggling metro newspapers, magazines attract niche audiences that appeal to advertisers and can offer a reading experience that is not easily replicated on the Web. Regional magazines have performed particularly well. For example, Voice of San Diego, a nonprofit online news outlet, launched a print product, Voice of San Diego Monthly. "Regional is an... Continue reading at 'Crains New York'
[ Crains New York | 2012-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]