• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 10, 2006

Anyone who missed this year's American Magazine Conference in Phoenix, Arizona can listen to podcasts of presentations and panel discussions at the Web site of the Magazine Publishers of America. The October conference, on the theme "Beyond the Page," attracted a Who's Who of magazine, media, and online execs, as well as big names from the worlds of politics and celebrities.

Among the addresses available online are the chairman's review by Jack Kliger, president and CEO of Hachette Filipacchi Media, U.S., panel discussions called "Breakthrough Brands: Case Studies for Success," "Warm & Fuzzy Doesn't Cut It: New Magazine Accountability Research Unveiled," and "What the Digital Future Holds," as well as interviews with Yahoo's Dan Rosensweig and an address by Google's Tim Armstrong.

Sponsors of the 2006 AMC included: Advertising Age; Audit Bureau of Circulations; BPA Worldwide; Brown; Communications Data Services; DeSilva + Phillips; FosteReprints; The Jordan Edmiston Group.; Kable Fulfillment Services; Manatt; Mediamark Research; Mediaweek; QuadGraphics; Quebecor World; and United States Postal Service.

New Shelter Mags Launch in Tough Market

Shelter magazines were the fastest-growing category of the consumer magazine market in 2006, according to the National Directory of Magazines. That's a testimony to their continued vitality, even as established titles have been struggling. Since 2005, the category has seen the launch of 100 new titles--a phenomenal growth rate of 90%--bringing the total number to 210.

Deborah Striplin, editorial director of Oxbridge Communications, which publishes the directory, attributed the strong demand to "the recent real-estate boom and the ongoing "nesting syndrome."

Striplin also pointed out that the new generation of shelter magazines looks rather different from older titles, with new magazines like Innovative Home and Decorating Spaces appealing to younger female readers with fresh design and content. Other categories that saw big increases were regional magazines, which grew 47% measuring by new titles; bridal pubs, up 27%; and entertainment, which rose 39%.

The news provides an encouraging counterpoint to the difficulties currently facing established titles in the shelter and bridal category. The most recent ABC FAS-FAX--a report detailing subscriptions and single-copy sales--has Good Housekeeping down 16.2% at the newsstand, while ad pages have stayed flat compared to last year. Another big shelter mag, Home, is down 24.9% at the newsstand--with ad pages down 8.9 percent. Competitor House Beautiful is down 15.1% at the newsstand, and 16.9% in ad pages.

Grand Media Adds Roger Black

Grand Media, LLC has hired respected magazine designer Roger Black for the design team of Grand magazine. Black's previous work includes reworking big titles like Esquire, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and The New York Times Magazine. Grand magazine is a bimonthly consumer lifestyle magazine geared toward grandparents and sold nationwide.