Annus Horribilus for Magazines

In a press release issued recently, the following really sad news was reported:

"In 2009, 275 new magazines were launched while 428 ceased publication, according to MediaFinder.com. Regional magazines topped the list of new launches with 21 new titles, such as Maine Magazine and B-metro Birmingham, while it also topped the list of ceased publications (34), with titles such Atlanta Life and Denver Living.

The next largest category for new magazine launches in 2009 was Health, with 15 new titles, including Scottsdale Health and Natural Awakenings (Port Charlotte, FL). Another top category for new magazine launches was Food, with 14 new magazines such as Food Network Magazine, Edible Queens, and Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade."

And here's the bright side:

"'Despite the difficult year for the magazine industry, more than 275 magazines launched in 2009 – showing there is still strength in the regional, health, and food categories, with Food Network Magazine reporting more than 1 million readers,' said Trish Hagood, President of Oxbridge Communications, publishers of MediaFinder.com.

'Yet, at the same time, Gourmet Magazine, with a circulation of 977,000, founded in 1941, folded. And, sadly, many magazines were forced to abandon their print products, including Blender, Vibe, Purpose Driven Connection, and Giant.'

MediaFinder also reported the top categories for ceased publications in 2009. In addition to regional magazines, business magazines lead the list of ceased publications, with 16 publications including BusinessWeek Small Biz, Conde Nast Portfolio, and Fortune Small Business. Other large categories for ceased magazines include lifestyle and real estate magazines, with 14 ceased titles. The Home magazine category also experienced a decline with Country Home, Southern Accents, and Metropolitan Home folding in 2009."

In case you're wondering, MediaFinder.com is the largest online database of U.S. and Canadian periodicals, with information on 75,000 magazines, journals, newspapers, newsletters, directories, and catalogs.