Mr.T
December 15th, 2006, 09:56 PM
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003520919
Lisa Granatstein
DECEMBER 13, 2006 -
Emap Consumer Media, owned by Emap in the U.K., announced this morning that it has suspended publication of the U.S. edition of FHM, which launched in 1999 during the height of the laddie-magazine craze.
Considered second banana to Dennis Publishing's Maxim in the U.S., FHM was to be a launch pad for more Emap titles such as Q, the hot British music monthly. Aside from a the pre-existing U.S. Web site, which will continue to operate, Emap has officially tossed in the towel in the U.S. magazine marketplace.
In a written statement, Emap Consumer Media CEO Paul Keenan said, "Trading conditions in the U.S. market have deteriorated over the past 12 months and we do not expect an improvement in the near term. In these circumstances we do not anticipate that the title would be able to trade on a profitable basis going forward."
Keenan further noted, "The magazine has battled to establish a profitable presence in a hugely challenging and competitive market. With conditions in the U.S. worsening, we have decided to focus our resources elsewhere on faster growth platforms."
FHM's total paid and verified circ fell 3.2 percent to 1.25 million in the first half of this year compared to the year prior, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Newsstand copies fell 6.6 percent. Archrival Maxim rose 1.9 percent to 2.58 million in the same period. Single-copy sales fell 14.1 percent.
As for ad pages, in 2006 FHM was down 21.4 percent to 735. reports the Mediaweek Monitor.
The move does not affect FHM U.K. or any of the 30 other editions published around the world.
This was the second major blow for Emap, having acquired Petersen Publishing for an astounding $1.5 billion in 1998 only to see them be sold off for just $500 million in 2001 to Primedia.
Lisa Granatstein
DECEMBER 13, 2006 -
Emap Consumer Media, owned by Emap in the U.K., announced this morning that it has suspended publication of the U.S. edition of FHM, which launched in 1999 during the height of the laddie-magazine craze.
Considered second banana to Dennis Publishing's Maxim in the U.S., FHM was to be a launch pad for more Emap titles such as Q, the hot British music monthly. Aside from a the pre-existing U.S. Web site, which will continue to operate, Emap has officially tossed in the towel in the U.S. magazine marketplace.
In a written statement, Emap Consumer Media CEO Paul Keenan said, "Trading conditions in the U.S. market have deteriorated over the past 12 months and we do not expect an improvement in the near term. In these circumstances we do not anticipate that the title would be able to trade on a profitable basis going forward."
Keenan further noted, "The magazine has battled to establish a profitable presence in a hugely challenging and competitive market. With conditions in the U.S. worsening, we have decided to focus our resources elsewhere on faster growth platforms."
FHM's total paid and verified circ fell 3.2 percent to 1.25 million in the first half of this year compared to the year prior, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Newsstand copies fell 6.6 percent. Archrival Maxim rose 1.9 percent to 2.58 million in the same period. Single-copy sales fell 14.1 percent.
As for ad pages, in 2006 FHM was down 21.4 percent to 735. reports the Mediaweek Monitor.
The move does not affect FHM U.K. or any of the 30 other editions published around the world.
This was the second major blow for Emap, having acquired Petersen Publishing for an astounding $1.5 billion in 1998 only to see them be sold off for just $500 million in 2001 to Primedia.