Mag ABCs: Closer leads way in celeb gossip weeklies

The appetite for measuring celebrity waist sizes showed no signs of
abating as four of the top five celeb gossip weeklies showed continued
growth in the ABCs year-on-year.

Closer took the top spot for the
first time beating Emap stablemate Heat to second place. The title, edited
by Jane Johnson, was up 9.3 per cent year-on-year to 590,211 while
Heat, edited by Mark Frith, was up 3.5 per cent to 579,883 year-on-year.

Down from pole position was Northern & Shell’s OK! – up
2.8 per cent year-on-year to 547,714, but down 15.7 per cent period on period. Sister title New!
climbed 23 per cent year-on-year to weekly sales of 458,751.

IPC’S
Now, once the market leader, suffered a significant decline in sales
year-on-year of 8.8 per cent, to 539,902 – while Hello! was up 2.8 per
cent to 403, 666, breaking the 400,000 sales barrier for the first time
in four years.

Relative newcomer, Natmags' Reveal, experienced a
25.3 per cent increase year-on-year to 342,245 while Northern &
Shell’s third title, Star sold 268,797, up 47.4 per cent.

Celebrity gossip weeklies sales Jan – Jun 2006 (year-on-year)

Closer: 590,211, up 9.3 per cent

Heat: 579,883, up 3.5 per cent

OK!: 547,714, down 15.7 per cent

Now: 539,902, down 8.8 per cent

New!: 458,751, up 23 per cent

Hello!: 403, 666, up 2.8 per cent

Reveal: 342,245, up 25.3 per cent

Star: 268,797, up 47.4 per cent