New magazine launches in 2007 fell to just 650 titles, the lowest such tally in 16 years. Samir Husni, a University of Mississippi professor who keeps tabs on the business, notes that the last time
there were fewer was in 1991, with a total of 553. And while some observers hold the Web responsible, Husni does not agree.
"I don't blame the Internet," he says, insisting instead
there are just too many titles already out there. "In 1980, we had 2,000 titles on newsstands," he says. "Now there are 7,200 titles on newsstands. I think the magazine industry is still alive and
kicking."
The number of 2007 launches was trending even lower until the final months of the year, he adds: "The big publishers hit the brakes in the first half, but we saw a lot of
small specialized publications appearing in the second half."
advertisement
advertisement
Read the whole story at New York Post »