The number of magazines reporting figures for their digital editions in the latest round of ABC circulation figures has grown from 16 to 72, with Men's Health continuing to top the table.
In August the Natmag Rodale title reported digital edition sales of 1,746 for the first half of 2011, but by the end of December the figure had risen to 7,779. The second-biggest selling digital edition was Future's T3 (7,327), followed by Conde Nast's GQ (5,731).
While ABC does not allow publishers to combine print and digital sales into a headline figure, Conde Nast said if the digital editions were added to its print figures, which remained flat at 120,094, it would show the magazine had actually grown in circulation over the last six months of 2011.
ABC said the main principal behind reporting digital editions was that they are 'considered sufficiently similar to the print product to be represented on the same certificate".
It added: 'Specific rules determine whether a digital edition can be included alongside the print edition. They cover, amongst other things, editorial content and the treatment of advertising.
"It is important to understand that the rules for editorial and advertising in digital editions are based on different principles – there is not one percentage content rule that covers both advertising and editorial."
A digital edition is allowed a 5 per cent difference (increase or decrease) compared to the print edition to be included in the figures.
ABC was also keen to point out that iPad editions sold through the Apple Newsstand can be reported and included in a publisher's digital edition figures.
But because Apple Newsstand was launched part way through the ABC reporting periods (12 October 2011) publishers reporting Newsstand iPad editions may show a lower figure on their ABC because it reports the average copies per issue across the entire audit period.
Total digital edition sales of UK magazines in the first half of 2011 (source ABC)
Magazine title; publisher: total digital edition sales
Men's Health : ( Natmag Rodale ) ; 7,779
T3 : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 7,327
GQ : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 5,731
Cosmopolitan : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 5,675
Men's Fitness : ( Dennis Publishing Limited ) ; 3,987
Esquire : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 3,745
MacUser : ( Dennis Publishing Limited ) ; 3,648
Stuff : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 3,630
Wired : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 3,190
Total Film : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 2,910
Harpers Bazaar : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 2,880
Digital Camera Magazine : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 2,549
Vanity Fair : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 2,504
Elle (U.K.) : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 2,443
New Scientist – US/Canadian Sales : ( Reed Business Information Limited ) ; 2,352
Edge : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 2,183
HELLO! : ( Hello! Ltd ) ; 1,932
Digital Photographer : ( Imagine Publishing ) ; 1,829
Company : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 1,642
MacFormat : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 1,499
Good Housekeeping : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 1,413
Elle Decoration : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 1,053
.NET – The Internet Magazine : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 1,035
Country Living : ( Hearst Magazines UK ) ; 1,025
Runner's World : ( Natmag Rodale ) ; 983
What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 965
Conde Nast Traveller : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 930
Glamour : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 928
Cycling Plus : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 923
Autosport : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 872
Vogue : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 818
Photo Plus : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 742
Computer Arts : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 725
Yachting World : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 721
Four Four Two : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 717
SFX : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 689
Autocar : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 681
Tatler : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 680
House & Garden : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 659
F1 Racing (UK Edition) : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 652
Practical Boat Owner : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 641
Mountain Biking UK : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 620
World Of Interiors : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 609
Golf Monthly : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 579
Imagine FX : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 570
What Mountain Bike : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 568
Yachting Monthly : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 554
Gramophone : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 525
Fast Bikes : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 496
Motor Boat & Yachting : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 492
Triathlon Plus : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 479
3D World : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 440
PSM 3 : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 407
World Soccer : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 392
PC Gamer : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 379
Auto Express : ( Dennis Publishing Limited ) ; 352
Linux Format : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 288
XBox World 360 : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 244
Motorboats Monthly : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 211
Windows – The Official Magazine : ( Future Publishing Ltd ) ; 164
Rugby World : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 146
What Digital Camera : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 138
Times Higher Education : ( TSL Education Ltd ) ; 134
Easy Living : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 119
Amateur Photographer : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 85
The Field : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 73
Country Life : ( IPC Media Ltd ) ; 71
Classic & Sports Car : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 68
Conde Nast Brides : ( Conde Nast Publications Ltd ) ; 44
Practical Motorhome : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 35
Practical Caravan : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 15
Motorsport News : ( Haymarket Consumer Media ) ; 5
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