Up and down

Although a crude measure, tracking the listing of the types and number of magazine titles in North America is an interesting indicator of trends in periodical publishing. The Standard Periodical Directory, published by Oxbridge Communications, contains more than 15,000 magazine listings in Canada and the United States. And the company from time to time notes what types of magazines are increasing, and which in decline. In a recent news release, they highlighted the explosion of Hispanic titles (not surprising in a country where the Hispanic population is growing so quickly) and the decline of college titles and business and trade titles, most of which they attribute to replacement by the internet.