• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, December 17, 2009

While most newspapers and magazines are still retrenching, the medium where they overlap -- newspaper-distributed magazines -- appears to be enjoying a mini-boom. The latest good news comes from The Wall Street Journal, which announced plans this week to increase both the frequency and circulation of its glossy WSJ magazine next year.

Effective March 2010, WSJ will move from a quarterly publication schedule to six issues per year, while U.S. circulation will almost double, jumping from 800,000 to 1.5 million. (The magazine's foreign circulation of 160,000 will remain stable). After the March issue, additional issues will appear in May, June, September, October, and December.

In view of tight financial management at the Journal and the country's general economic woes, WSJ must have enjoyed some considerable success since its launch in 2008. While no firm ad revenue figures are available, according to the newspaper, the magazine has attracted 64 new advertisers, of which 20 also advertise in the newspaper and online, in categories including fashion, retail, jewelry, travel, real estate, financial, auto, and technology.

Also, last month, the Publishing Group of America reported that total ad pages for its newspaper-distributed monthly magazines -- American Profile, Relish and Spry, which altogether have a combined circulation of 34 million -- jumped 19% in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the same period last year. Breaking out the specific results, in the fourth quarter, American Profile saw ad pages increase 16%; Relish, PGA's food title, grew 12%; and Spry, a health and lifestyle title, grew 48%. PGA attributed the increases partly to ads from a number of brands owned by companies like Pfizer, DelMonte, Unilever, Kraft, Wyeth and Merck.

Budget Travel Travels to New Owner

The Washington Post Co.'s Newsweek division announced the sale of Budget Travel on Thursday, averting the feared closure of yet another big consumer title this year. The magazine for cost-conscious travelers was purchased by Fletcher Asset Management; the terms of the deal were not disclosed, but are believed to be quite low. This puts Budget Travel in the same boat as BusinessWeek, sold by McGraw Hill to Bloomberg for a pittance earlier this year. But it's not quite as bad as TV Guide, which was famously sold to OpenGate Capital in October 2008 for $1, carrying millions in debt.

Magazines Plan to Raise Newsstand Prices in 2010

Undeterred by the recent slump in newsstand sales, publishers are looking to shore up their finances with another round of newsstand price hikes in the coming year, according to the Mediaweek Web site, which reported the news earlier this week. The list of hikers includes Conde Nast, which plans to raise cover prices on The New Yorker, Golf Digest, and Teen Vogue; Hearst, which is raising the cover prices for Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Veranda and potentially Country Living; and Meredith, which is considering higher newsstand prices for Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle and Traditional Home.

Rodale Appoints Michaelson Prez for Integrated Marketing

Gregg Michaelson has been named Rodale's new president of integrated marketing and sales and chief marketing officer, replacing MaryAnn Bekkedahl, the former boss of Rodale's group sales, who left to work in digital media. Michaelson, previously the executive vice president for consumer marketing, will retain his responsibilities, while assuming new ones, including print and digital sales, events, custom publishing, and business intelligence.

MPA Cuts 5 Positions

With most media feeling the squeeze, media trade organizations are also tightening their belts: the latest cutbacks come from the Magazine Publishers of America, which has cut five full-time positions, equivalent to 14% of its total staff, according to Folio:. The cuts were spread across a number of departments, including membership, events, research, and back office, leaving the MPA with 30 full-time staffers in New York and Washington, D.C.