I found the circulation figures for IPC from January to June 2011. Here is the women's magazine figures which show a majority have seen a huge decrease in numbers. Chat in Jun-Dec 2010 had 415, 040 but has now decreased to 391, 749. Woman has gone from 309,878 to 286,731. In most cases the numbers have dropped however where their has been steady numbers or an increase is in the property magazine market. Country Homes and Interiors has risen form 90,243 in 2010 to 92,584 in 2011. In addition to this TV magazines has also seen steady numbers with What's on TV? going from 1,257,028 to 1,274,035.
Here are the circulation figures for men's magazines. Here again a slight decrease in numbers can be seen with music magazine NME dropping from 32,166 in between Jun-Dec 2010 to 29,020 from between Jan-Jun 2011. Golf Monthly and Amateur Gardening have both increased slightly whilst all the men's lifestyle magazines have dropped considerably in numbers.
It is evident from this figures that both men and women's lifestyle magazine circulation figures are falling whilst the more niche magazines, the property magazines and the golf and gardening magazines are fairing much better and are seeing an increase in their numbers again. The magazines which I believe find the best circulation figures are the TV magazines with What's on TV? taking in huge numbers and being able to keep hold of them.
There is a slight decline in women's magazines maybe because, in terms of a print copy magazines are struggling to offer their readers unique and specified content. Magazine websites are seen to have a huge increase in readership due mainly to the control readers then have in exactly what they want and the inter-activity it provides however the decline of circulation, especially in the competitive women's lifestyle magazine market means there is an oppurtunity to create a unique music magazine aimed specifically at women.
