The print magazine market contracted by an estimated 6.5% in 2014 as publishers faced increased competition for attention from other forms of media such as e-books and video streaming services as well as cannibalisation from the increasing popularity of digital magazines and magazine websites. This represents a 35.9% contraction since 2009.
While the shift to digital is expected to pick up pace over the next year, publishers still have to contend with a broad, cross-industry reluctance among consumers to spend money on digital content. The digital magazine industry is arguably still in its infancy and publishers are still at odds as to what form digital magazines should take – should digital editions be replicas of their print editions, to be read in a linear start-to-finish fashion, or should they include more rich media and encourage navigation between editions?
This report investigates consumer use of and attitudes towards print and digital magazines, as well as exploring devices used to read digital magazines and magazine websites and attitudes towards alternative payment models. The report also estimates the UK consumer magazine market size and provides a five-year forecast, explores market segmentation and examines key drivers behind changes in the market. It also provides an overview of key publishers and innovations in the industry.
Definition
This report covers the full spectrum of consumer magazine segments including interest-specific, women’s glossy monthly, women’s weekly, women’s general interest, celebrity, news and current affairs, free, men’s monthly lifestyle and men’s weekly lifestyle.
Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.
