Maclean's's modest improvement

The Globe and Mail's fascination with Maclean's continues, today with an article based on the latest circulation data. James Adams has talked to some people in the industry (including me) and concludes that things are looking up for the weekly. Adams cites selling an average of 7,800 single copies per week as one positive, up 51% since the last measurement. But for a magazine that bottomed out at 4,700 copies one issue, it's all relative. And it must be remembered that, at one time, Maclean's routinely sold 15,000 to 20,000 single copies every week. At this rate, it will take ten years to reach those levels again, if at all.

The magazine's strategy of "managing down" its total paid circ to somewhere in the 350,000 range is apparently working (the principle being that you get a smaller, but higher quality audience). But as I am quoted as saying (in a rather garbled metaphor about train tracks!), the trick will be to hold onto the best subscribers (from an advertiser's perspective) and not slide right on past your circ target.It's a tricky thing.