Topping the analysis with a 176 percent increase over the past ten years is wedding magazines, followed closely by a 109 percent gain in interior design and home magazines, and a 98 percent drive by golf magazines. Dog-related titles fetched a 65 percent gain.
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The biggest declines over the past decade were among general interest (down 77 percent), gay/lesbian (-41 percent), religion (-38 percent), business magazines (-35 percent), and ethnic titles (-16 percent).
While some of the findings may seem counter-intuitive--declining interest in religion, alternative lifestyles, and ethnic markets, for example--magazine gurus say the growth trends at least are explainable.
"Due to effects of 9/11, people are more interested in doing things at, in, to their homes. It's part of the nesting syndrome," suggests Deborah Stiplin, editorial director for the National Directory of Magazines.
Or as Beth Fidoten, senior vice president-director of print services at Initiative, describes it, staying home is "the new going out." She cites: "declining movie attendance, and now new home entertainment products and televisions, are being offered."
But is the decline of magazines catering to gay and lesbian, religious, and ethnic interests merely a matter of reader demand? Fidoten says that she would "defuse saying that those categories are necessarily going down," and that "the advertisers go where their audience is, and there are definitely changes in the way that consumers are seeking information."
"My advertisers will not even go near that--it is way too controversial," said a top print buyer at another media shop requesting anonymity, referring to religious and alternative sexual lifestyle magazines. "Advertisers never want to be perceived by that--but what they endorse is controversial. Whenever it comes to sexual preference, religious persuasion--neutral is key," she explained.
Buyers say the numbers also may reveal a more fundamental shift in the interest of readers who are looking to magazines as a form of "escapism" from heavier topics.
| 1995/96 | 2005/06 | Change | ||
Interior/Home | 92 | 192 | +100 | ||
Lifestyle | 273 | 364 | +91 | ||
Travel | 525 | 600 | +75 | ||
Golf | 72 | 143 | +71 | ||
Wedding | 37 | 102 | +65 | ||
Dog | 43 | 71 | +28 | ||
Boating | 110 | 133 | +23 | ||
Construction/Building | 340 | 357 | +17 | ||
Cycling. | 92 | 107 | +15 | ||
Gardening | 160 | 174 | +14 |
Magazine category | 1995/96 | 2005/06 | Change |
Religion | 1,207 | 742 | -465 |
Business/Industry | 791 | 513 | -278 |
Regional | 837 | 638 | -199 |
General Interest | 204 | 46 | -158 |
Computers/Automation | 590 | 466 | -124 |
Ethnic | 735 | 614 | -121 |
Women's | 350 | 300 | -116 |
Entertainment | 293 | 179 | -114 |
Youth | 227 | 145 | -82 |
Gay & Lesbian | 158 | 93 | -65 |