• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, July 6, 2005

If print is, as some digital pundits suggest, a dying medium, American publishers have not gotten that message. They launched 32 new consumer magazines during the second quarter of 2005. While that may pale in comparison with the number of websites, blogs and other digital publications introduced during the quarter, it nonetheless suggests there still is a robust marketplace for new magazines.

The new magazine launch estimates, which are part of a new tracking study launched last quarter by the Magazine Publishers of America, will be released later today, and include new titles from some of the nation's biggest publishers, as well as some upstarts.

Among the biggies, are new magazines launched by American Media (Celebrity Living), Conde Nast (Men's Vogue), Hearst (Weekend ), Primedia (MotorTrend Classic), Reader's Digest Association ( Everyday with Rachael Ray) and Weider Publications (Mom and Baby).

The new titles, which range in editorial focus and type, include 12 lifestyle magazines, nine magazines targeting women, nine titles targeting the affluent market and four fashion magazines. The eclectic mix also includes a magazine targeting female poker players, a fashion magazine for men, and the first lifestyle magazine crafted especially for veterinarians.

Although the second quarter launches are down significantly from the first quarter when the MPA detected 75 new magazines, it's unclear whether that is a downward trend, or a function of seasonality. Publishers may simply launch more new magazines at the beginning of the year.

In fact, 2005's pace appears to be running behind 2004. The magazine industry launched 480 new magazines, during 2004, according to the just-released 2005 edition of the MPA's "Magazine Handbook." That's an average of 40 new magazines per month during 2004 vs. only 18 per month through the first half of 2005.

Moreover, like the new Vogue and MotorTrend titles, many of the new publications are essentially line extensions or spin-offs of established magazines seeking to broaden their market reach. And many of those spin-offs are aimed at the burgeoning U.S. Hispanic population, including ESPN Deportes and Prevention en Espanol. A total of eight titles announced in 2005 are aimed at the Hispanic market, according to the MPA report.

Information about new magazine launches are posted on MPA's "New and Noted" section of its website, www.magazine.org. The section does not include magazines with less than a quarterly frequency.