Time Inc is set to close two cycling magazines in its UK portfolio of road cycling titles to focus attention on popular glossy Cycling Weekly, now its sole title covering the sport.
Nine journalism jobs are understood to be at risk (including permanent and freelance roles).
Monthly magazines Cycling Active and Cycle Sport are to go, despite a combined circulation of more than 31,500, with resources being directed into the weekly that is said to be “seeing the most demand from consumers” according to Time.
The move comes after the publisher closed quarterly Cycling Fitness earlier this year. Cycling Active was relaunched in October last year.
An inside source told Press Gazette: “A lot of people in the cycling media are wondering why Time can’t make a success of magazines about cycling when it is one of the most booming recreational sports at the moment.”
Cycling Active magazine
Consultations with staff about the proposals are currently ongoing with a spokesperson for the company saying staff would face redundancy only if alternative roles cannot be found for them within the business.
Steve Prentice, managing director of cycling at Time, said: “We are 100 per cent committed to cycling and continue to see a huge opportunity for growth in this fast-paced 24/7 sector.
“However, we have decided to focus our resources on where we are seeing most demand from consumers and the most exciting growth opportunities.
“We will be sad to say goodbye to Cycling Active and Cycle Sport, but this decision will allow us to play to our strengths and focus on what our consumers really want.”
Cycling Weekly has a 125-year-old print heritage. It’s being led editorially by content director Simon Collis, editor Simon Richardson and digital editor Richard Windsor.
Cycling Weekly magazine
As well as traffic growth, the Cycling Weekly website has also seen a boost in video, according to Prentice, who said it had received 3.7 million video views within the last 12 months. It also recently made its first 360-degree video for a commercial partner.
Said Prentice: “Live events and experiences are now a key part of the portfolio too, with UKCE, our events business, producing 80 Sportive events this year.
“Within this business, Cycling Weekly Sportives are among the fastest-growing and we intend to build on their popularity.”
According to ABC, Cycling Weekly has a total circulation of more than 24,000 and costs £2.99 an issue. Cycle Sport has a circulation of more than 14,000 and costs £4.95 an issue. Cycling Active has a circulation of more than 17,000 and costs £4.75 an issue.
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