National Enquirer circulation plummets

[quaoar]

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5558875

A limitless appetite for nothing may have been sated at last

Junk or genius? THEIR headlines are as captivating as ever: “Jessica & Jude Steamy Hotel Romp!” (the Star); “Hillary Attacks Bill's Secret Lover” (Globe); “Farrah Fawcett: My Drug Hell!” (National Enquirer); and, most thrilling of all, “Giant polar monster attacks cruise ship!” and “10 New Commandments Found!” (Weekly World News).

Viewed in a vacuum, American Media, the owner of these publications, has never been more on its game, producing all the flotsam one could ever wish to know, and that ever-important little bit more. Behind the gloss, as it might say, lurks a darker picture. If these publications had business pages, the headline might read “Investors Pelted by Crumbling Bonds!”. Paddy Hirsch of Standard & Poor's points out that since early February the yield on the group's debt has risen to a junkier-than-junk level of 14%, up from a pristine 4.3% a year ago.

Collectively, American Media continues to sell millions of copies, but the numbers are contracting. The National Enquirer lost more than 20% of its circulation between 2003 and the middle of last year. Stricter industry standards for measuring circulation numbers are expected to push down reported sales further, for at least half of the group's publications when the new numbers are released in June. On February 15th, American Media announced it would restate financial returns dating back to March of 2004.


Meanwhile, sales of the Star, American Media's flagship publication, have been, “soft” recently, the company acknowledged, though it claimed that they have rebounded. Advertising is lagging as well. Given the magnetic quality of American Media's mastery of low culture, what could be going wrong?

< snip >

[TexasLawyer]

1. $3.00+/ gallon gas

What's the first thing to go when money's tight? It's the little extras here and there-- the designer coffee, the fun ringtone, the $2.95 Enquirer at the checkout stand.

The Enquirer is still "interesting" to lots of people, but it's not a necessity.

[northofdenali]

2. Probably because nothing they can come up with

is as bizarre as the current misadministration.

[drbtg1]

9. After Anthrax, maybe they know they shouldn't come up with anything...

especially the bizarre stuff about this administration.

Just sportin' the latest tin foil fashions.

[Extend a Hand]

3. whatever will we laugh at

while waiting in line at the grocery store when they go out of business? I've always wondered what kind of people actually purchased those mags...and if they took them seriously.

[johncoby2]

4. The MSM has taken over the competition. There is no need for the Enquirer

[soothsayer]

5. I bought TWO issues with the 'lucky' blue dot in it. Have actually

had fairly good gambling luck since then. Silly, but true!

[shockingelk]

6. Mainstream papers today serve the same purpose

of outrageous journalisming.

[davidinalameda]

7. I read it while waiting in line

but I don't buy it

but I do have to admit I love me some Weekly World News

I love BatBoy!

:woohoo:

[CAG]

8. Those craving fictitious news now just listen to Faux or Scotty McClellan.

nt

[newyawker99]

10. I wont miss it if it does fold.