• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 2, 2011

Different magazine audiences have different attitudes toward the economy, according to Affinity and Experian Simmons, which surveyed readers of various titles to discover their feelings about the future for the Affinity AMS/Experian Simmons magazine database, which combines print and digital magazine audience estimates from Affinity's American Magazine Study with consumer insights from the Simmons National Consumer Study.

Overall, Affinity and Simmons found that when it comes to opinions about the economy,  U.S. adults are divided roughly into thirds, with 32% believing that economic conditions will worsen over the next year, 38% predicting no significant change in the nation's economic health over the same period, and 30% expressing optimism that America's economy will be better off one year from now.

However, these proportions varied quite a bit when Affinity and Simmons took a closer look at the attitudes of different magazine audiences, in both print and online.

Interestingly, the highest proportions of optimists on the print side -- meaning print readers who said they believe the economy will be better a year from now -- were found in the audiences for African-American-interest magazines, including Essence, where 50% agreed, Ebony (46%), Jet (44%), and Black Enterprise (42%). Also scoring relatively high in optimism were readers of Elle Decor (43%), and the audiences for New York Magazine, Men's Journal, Life & Style Weekly, Tennis, and Veranda, which scored 39% across the board.

Among magazine Web site visitors, the most optimistic audiences were found at Bridal Guide (55%), Harvard Business Review (49%), Dwell (48%), and Outside, Bicycling, and Parenting (46% each). Also scoring higher than average on the optimism index were online readers for Car Craft, Organic Gardening, Black Enterprise, and Traditional Home (45% each).

The most optimistic mobile audiences for magazines seemed to be dominated by women: 45% of Lucky's mobile readers said they believe the economy will be better a year from now, followed by Allure (43%), Seventeen (42%), and Fitness (42%).