Sales of these and other UK weekly magazines are flat in some areas and falling in others yet we continue to see titles added to the segment. I suspect that one reason for this growth is the free retail real-estate newsagents provide for magazines. If these titles had to deliver a minimum return to newsagents I suspect we would see a 50% cut in range.
This is another reason newsagents need a magazine czar who controls the titles which can access the valuable newsagent retail real-estate asset. Magazine distributors are unable to provide this service.