Sales of the Radio Times have dropped below one million for the first time in recent history as the TV listings magazine sector as a whole slumped 5.4 per cent year on year.
BBC Worldwide’s weekly TV listings magazine, the third biggest seller in the sector, recorded a circulation fall of 4.3 per cent as it dipped to 966,098 from the 1,009,028 it averaged in the second half of last year, according to Audit Bureau of Circulation figures released today.
Dipping below one million marks the lowest circulation of the Radio Times since officially audited recordeds began in 1986, when it was regularly achieving sales in excess of three million.
The title is now expected to go through a refresh under new editor Ben Preston, who is joining from the Independent where he was executive editor.
His appointment comes as Gill Hudson, who had edited Radio Times since 2002, left the magazine last month to become editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest UK.
Bauer’s TV Choice remained the top-selling TV listings magazine with an average circulation of 1,335,894 over the six months to the end of June. However, it recorded a year on year fall of 4.2 per cent.
The second biggest seller, IPC Media’s What’s on TV, had an average circulation of 1,272,586 over the half year period, but it was down 5.5 per cent.
All TV mags lost sales year on year with the exception of IPC’s Soaplife – up 7.7% per cent to 117,966 – and Hachette’s All About Soap – up 1.9 per cent to 107,162. This constituted an eighth consecutive six-month circulation increase for All About Soap.
The biggest fallers were Bauer’s TV quick which dropped 22.5 per cent year on year to record circulation of 144,270.
The only other double digit faller was IPC’s TV Easy which recorded a circulation dip of 12.8 per cent to 201,728.
TV listings magazines
TV Choice – H Bauer Publishing – 1,335,894 -4.2%
What’s on TV – IPC Media Ltd – 1,272,586 -5.5%
Radio Times – BBC Worldwide – 966,098 -4.3%
TV Times – IPC Media Ltd – 311,307 -7.6%
TV Easy – IPC Media Ltd – 201,728 -12.8%
TV & Satellite Week – IPC Media Ltd – 183,929 -2.4%
Inside Soap – Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd – 181,883 -6.8%
TV Quick – H Bauer Publishing – 144,270 -22.5%
Soaplife – IPC Media Ltd – 117,966 7.7%
Total TV Guide – H Bauer Publishing – 107,681 -2.2%
All About Soap – Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd – 107,162 1.9%
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