Private Eye tops current affairs magazine sales again in 50th year

Private Eye remains top of the UK's news and current affairs magazine in its 50th year in print, despite a slight dip in sales, according to the latest ABC figures,

The satirical title recorded an average circulation of 206,266 for the first half of 2011, down 0.4 per cent on the previous six months.

The 50-year-old magazine, currently edited by Ian Hislop, recorded an 18-year sales high over the second half of 2009, with an average circulation of 210,218, but has since slipped.

A relatively high proportion of Private Eye's circulation – 98.5 per cent – was paid-for.

Private Eye's slight dip comes amid a strong performance overall for UK news and current affairs magazines. The Oldie, edited by Private Eye founder and former editor Richard Ingrams, had a headline growth of 7.9 per cent in the category, and Dennis Publishing's the Week saw sales up 1.7 per cent over the first six months of the year to 183,617, a 3.9 per cent increase over the past year.

The Spectator saw the biggest fall in the category, 10.7 per cent year-on-year, but the large drop was down to the magazine stripping out 6,000 givaways. It's paid-for circulation fell just 2.2 per cent from 57,351 to 56,106.

A statement from the Spectator highlighted a 56 per cent increase in paid-for digital subscriptions over the same period. Editor Fraser Nelson said today that the magazine's digital development "is only beginning".

In the business and finance section of news and current affairs, the Economist saw its strong growth in UK sales in 2010 slow dramatically over the first half of this year, with average circulation up just 0.1 per cent, compared with a 7.7 per cent increase over the previous six months.

The financial title recorded average sales of 210,318 for the first half of 2011, up from 210,204 in the second half of 2010. It broke the 200,000 mark for the first time in 2010 with an 11.1 per cent year-on-year sales hike.

Overall sales for the Economist outside of North America were up 0.5 per cent to 626,291, a 3.7 per cent increase year-on-year.

The science section of news and current affairs suffered a 6.6 per cent drop overall, with RBI's New Scientist down 9.4 per cent year-on-year worldwide. BBC science magazine Sky and Night offset the drop slightly with an 8.2 per cent increase to 22,803.

Full news and current affairs figures (title; publisher; year-on-year percentage change)

News and current affairs: domestic

Private Eye: Pressdram Ltd; 206,266; -0.7%
The Week: Dennis Publishing Limited; 183,617; 3.9%
Spectator: Spectator (1828) Ltd; 62,852; -10.7%  
The Oldie: Oldie Publications Ltd; 40,386 ; 7.9%   
Limerick Post: Carnbeg Ltd; 34,340; N/A
Prospect: Prospect Publishing Ltd; 31,985; 4.9%  

News and current affairs: business and finance

Sense Magazine; John Brown; 834,954; -5.4%
The Economist Continental Europe Edition; The Economist Newspaper Ltd; 240,895; 0.3%
The Economist United Kingdom Edition; The Economist Newspaper Ltd; 210,318; 7.7%
The Economist Asia Pacific Edition; The Economist Newspaper Ltd; 146,016; 4.3%
Business Life; Cedar Communications Limited; 79,213; -7.8%
MoneyWeek; Moneyweek Ltd; 47,366;  6.0%
The Economist Middle East/Africa Edition; The Economist Newspaper Ltd; 29,062; 0.7%   
Investors Chronicle; FT Business; 28,479;  -2.4%

News and current affairs: science

New Scientist – Worldwide Sales; Reed Business Information Limited; 97,160, -8.3%
New Scientist – Australasian Sales; Reed Business Information Limited; 24,368, -7.6%
New Scientist – US/Canadian Sales; Reed Business Information Limited; 22,873, -11.2%
BBC Sky at Night; BBC Worldwide; 21,975, 8.2%

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