• by Erik Sass , April 10, 2015

Fewer magazines launched in the first quarter of this year than last year, although magazine launches still outnumbered closings, according to MediaFinder.com, a property of Oxbridge Communications that tracks U.S. and Canadian publications.

The number of launches declined from 45 new titles in the first quarter of 2014 to 35 new titles in the first quarter of 2015, while the number of magazine closings also decreased from 14 to 13 over the same period.

Notable magazine launches in the first quarter included Parents Latina, Frozen (devoted to the ubiquitous Disney movie of the same name), Double Runner and Physician’s Life. The list of shuttered titles included Fitness, Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking and Bklynr.

Turning to business-to-business titles, three titles launched in the first quarter of the year compared to nine titles last year; this year’s notable launches included Drone 360, reflecting the unmanned aerial vehicle craze. The number of B2B titles closed also decreased from four to two over the same period.

A number of new magazines have launched in the second quarter.

This week Smithsonian Enterprises launched Smithsonian Journeys, a publication associated with Smithsonian’s tour business of the same name. According to the company, the quarterly publication will highlight destinations offered by the company, which operates as the revenue-generating business unit of Smithsonian Institution, and also publishes Smithsonian magazine.

Also this quarter, The New York Times announced the launch of its new monthly Men’s Style magazine, with sections covering fashion, luxury goods, travel, grooming, watches, and technology. The first issue carries 30 advertisers, including Tiffany & Co., which is also the launch sponsor for the magazine’s digital presence.

The NYT also recently relaunched its flagship Sunday magazine, with a new graphic treatment and layout and a number of new weekly features and columns. The magazine’s digital presence also got an overhaul, including increased emphasis on photography, video and interactive elements; more attention to design in online feature stories; and more daily content.