While print magazines stubbornly cling to a multi-billion dollar reality, the data reveals an industry in a profound and undeniable transition.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the U.S. print magazine industry generated $26.5 billion in total revenue, marking a 2.1% decline from 2021
- Global print magazine market size reached $38.4 billion in 2023, projected to decline at a CAGR of -3.2% through 2030
- U.S. magazine print advertising revenue fell to $6.2 billion in 2022, down 8.4% year-over-year
- Total U.S. print magazine units sold declined 12% to 650 million in 2022
- Average U.S. consumer magazine paid circulation was 1.2 million per title in Q4 2022, down 4.5% YoY
- Global magazine print circulation totaled 4.8 billion copies in 2022, a 3.1% decline
- U.S. print magazine ad pages totaled 45,000 in 2022, down 10.3% YoY
- U.S. print magazine ad revenue per page averaged $38,200 in 2022, down 2.1%
- Global print magazine advertising spend was $14.8 billion in 2022, declining 7.6%
- 62% of U.S. magazine readers are aged 18-49 in 2022
- Women represent 58% of U.S. print magazine audience in 2022
- 45% of U.S. print magazine readers have household income over $100K in 2022
- 55% of U.S. print magazines transitioned to digital-first by 2022
- Print circulation declined 12% while digital grew 15% in U.S. magazines 2022
- 68% of magazine revenue now from digital channels globally in 2023
Print magazine revenue and circulation are declining globally as digital formats grow.
Advertising Spend
- U.S. print magazine ad pages totaled 45,000 in 2022, down 10.3% YoY
- U.S. print magazine ad revenue per page averaged $38,200 in 2022, down 2.1%
- Global print magazine advertising spend was $14.8 billion in 2022, declining 7.6%
- U.K. print magazine ad revenue fell 16.2% to £450 million in 2022
- U.S. consumer magazine print ad revenue dropped to $5.9 billion in 2022, -9.1%
- Europe print magazine ad spend totaled €3.8 billion in 2022, down 6.4%
- Average CPM for U.S. print magazines was $15.40 in 2022, down from $16.20
- B2B print magazine ad revenue in U.S. was $7.1 billion in 2022, -3.2%
- Print magazine share of total U.S. ad spend was 2.8% in 2022 at $6.2 billion
- Canada print magazine ad revenue declined 10.5% to CAD 180 million in 2022
- Pharma ad spend in U.S. print magazines was $2.4 billion in 2022, up 1.2%
- Australia print magazine ad revenue fell 12.3% to AUD 120 million in 2022
- U.S. fashion print magazine ad pages down 14.7% to 8,200 in 2022
- Global print magazine digital ad crossover revenue was $1.2 billion in 2022
- U.K. magazine print ad volume decreased 11.8% to 3.2 billion lines in 2022
- U.S. automotive ad spend in print magazines was $850 million in 2022, down 5.6%
- Print magazine ad revenue growth in India was -8.9% to INR 8 billion in 2022
- Europe B2B print ad spend was €2.1 billion in 2022, -4.7%
- U.S. print magazine ad share from direct mail was 15% of total in 2022
Advertising Spend Interpretation
The print magazine industry is learning to do more with less, as its global ad revenue gently deflates like a prized balloon at the end of a very long, yet surprisingly lucrative, party.
Circulation Figures
- Total U.S. print magazine units sold declined 12% to 650 million in 2022
- Average U.S. consumer magazine paid circulation was 1.2 million per title in Q4 2022, down 4.5% YoY
- Global magazine print circulation totaled 4.8 billion copies in 2022, a 3.1% decline
- U.S. top 25 magazines average print circulation was 2.1 million in 2022, down 6.2%
- Single-copy sales for U.S. magazines fell 18.7% to 45 million units in 2022
- U.K. magazine print circulation dropped 14% to 92 million copies in 2022
- Average paid print circulation for U.S. B2B magazines was 85,000 per title in 2022, down 2.9%
- Worldwide consumer magazine print circulation declined 5.2% YoY to 3.2 billion in 2022
- U.S. magazine print readership reached 222 million adults in 2022, flat YoY
- Canadian magazine print circulation totaled 120 million copies in 2022, down 7.3%
- Average U.S. magazine issue print run was 750,000 copies in 2022, reduced by 8%
- Europe print magazine circulation fell 6.8% to 1.1 billion copies in 2022
- U.S. weekly print magazines circulation averaged 1.8 million, down 9.1% in 2022
- Global B2B magazine print circulation was 1.6 billion in 2022, declining 2.4%
- U.S. monthly print magazines paid circulation dropped 3.7% to 900,000 average in 2022
- Print newsstand sales in Australia declined 11.4% to 25 million units in 2022
- U.K. ABC audited print circulation for top magazines averaged 150,000, down 12.5% in 2022
- U.S. print magazine household penetration was 45% in 2022, down from 48% in 2021
- India magazine print circulation totaled 350 million copies annually in 2022, down 4.2%
- Average European magazine print circulation per title was 120,000 in 2022, -5.9%
- U.S. digital/print hybrid circulation grew 1.2% to 145 million average in 2022
- Print magazine verified circulation in Canada fell 8.1% to 95 million in 2022
- Global print magazine pass-along readership multiplier was 2.3 readers per copy in 2022
Circulation Figures Interpretation
The print magazine industry is proving the adage that "less is more" by perfecting the art of having less with every passing year.
Consumer Demographics
- 62% of U.S. magazine readers are aged 18-49 in 2022
- Women represent 58% of U.S. print magazine audience in 2022
- 45% of U.S. print magazine readers have household income over $100K in 2022
- College graduates comprise 42% of U.S. magazine print readers in 2022
- Urban dwellers make up 55% of global print magazine readership in 2022
- Millennials (25-40) account for 32% of U.S. print magazine consumers in 2022
- 38% of U.K. print magazine readers are parents with children under 18 in 2022
- Hispanics represent 19% of U.S. magazine readership in 2022, up 2%
- Baby Boomers (55+) are 28% of print magazine audience in U.S. 2022
- 52% of Canadian magazine readers are female professionals aged 35-54 in 2022
- High-income households ($75K+) subscribe to 3.2 print magazines on average in U.S. 2022
- Gen Z (18-24) engagement with print magazines is 15% in U.S. 2022
- 47% of European print magazine readers live in households with 2+ adults in 2022
- African Americans are 12% of U.S. print magazine readers in 2022
- Average age of U.S. print magazine reader is 47 years in 2022, up 1.2 years YoY
- 61% of Australian magazine readers have postgraduate education in 2022
- Suburban residents are 42% of U.S. print magazine audience in 2022
- 35% of India print magazine readers are urban youth aged 18-34 in 2022
- Married individuals represent 56% of U.K. print magazine readership in 2022
- 29% of global print magazine readers own homes valued over $500K in 2022
Consumer Demographics Interpretation
Despite a narrative of digital dominance, print magazines continue to be clutched firmly in the well-manicured hands of an influential, educated, and surprisingly young global bourgeoisie who clearly still appreciate the tactile pleasure of gloss and the quiet authority of paper.
Digital vs Print Trends
- 55% of U.S. print magazines transitioned to digital-first by 2022
- Print circulation declined 12% while digital grew 15% in U.S. magazines 2022
- 68% of magazine revenue now from digital channels globally in 2023
- Hybrid print/digital subscriptions rose 22% in U.S. to 25 million in 2022
- Print ad share dropped to 18% of total magazine ads in Europe 2022
- 41% of readers prefer print tactile experience over digital in U.S. survey 2022
- Digital magazine circulation overtook print by 28% globally in 2022
- U.K. print magazine frequency reduced 25% with digital weekly editions in 2022
- Print production costs rose 11% while digital flat in U.S. 2022
- 73% of Gen Z access magazines digitally only in 2022 survey
- Print magazines retain 32% loyalty vs 24% digital in global study 2022
- U.S. print frequency down to bi-monthly for 45% of titles in 2022
- Digital replicas of print editions grew 18% to 40 million circ in 2022
- 52% revenue shift from print to digital projected by 2027 worldwide
- Print engagement time averages 45 min vs 12 min digital per issue 2022
- 60% of publishers plan print cuts in favor of digital in 2023 survey
- Canada print vs digital revenue ratio 35:65 in 2022
- Australia 29% of magazines ceased print runs for digital only in 2022
- Print trust rating 82% vs digital 71% among U.S. readers 2022
- 150 million print copies saved via digital shift in U.S. 2022
- Print magazine paper usage down 19% globally to 8.2 million tons in 2022
Digital vs Print Trends Interpretation
The magazine industry, like a stubborn yet endearing old dog, is reluctantly learning new digital tricks as the numbers show readers still cling to print's cozy charm while the cold, hard economics make a swift and brutal transition to screens all but inevitable.
Production and Costs
- U.S. print magazine production costs $4.2 billion in 2022, up 9.5%
- Average print production cost per copy for U.S. magazines $2.15 in 2022
- Global print magazine paper costs rose 22% to $2.8 billion in 2022
- U.S. magazine printing costs increased 12.4% YoY to $3.1 billion in 2022
- Distribution costs for print magazines in Europe up 8.7% to €1.2 billion 2022
- Average U.K. print magazine production cost per issue £45,000 in 2022
- U.S. B2B print production expenses $1.8 billion, up 6.3% in 2022
- Paper price inflation hit 28% for print magazines globally in 2022
- Canada magazine print production costs rose 14.2% to CAD 250 million 2022
- U.S. color print premium added $0.45 per copy average in 2022
- Australia print magazine binding costs up 10.1% to AUD 35 million 2022
- Editorial production staff costs for U.S. print $2.9 billion in 2022
- Global ink costs for print magazines increased 17% to $650 million 2022
- U.S. freight and postage for print distro $1.4 billion, up 11.8% 2022
- Europe pre-press digitalization saved 5% on print costs in 2022
Production and Costs Interpretation
Despite print's enduring allure, the industry is hemorrhaging cash, squeezed by relentless cost inflation from paper to postage, making each glossy page feel like a small, defiant victory in an increasingly digital world.
Revenue and Market Size
- In 2022, the U.S. print magazine industry generated $26.5 billion in total revenue, marking a 2.1% decline from 2021
- Global print magazine market size reached $38.4 billion in 2023, projected to decline at a CAGR of -3.2% through 2030
- U.S. magazine print advertising revenue fell to $6.2 billion in 2022, down 8.4% year-over-year
- Consumer magazine revenue in the U.S. dropped 4% to $18.3 billion in 2022, with print units contributing 12%
- Worldwide print magazine publishing market valued at $42.1 billion in 2021, expected to shrink to $32.8 billion by 2028
- U.S. single-copy sales revenue for magazines declined 15.2% to $1.1 billion in 2022
- Print magazine revenue in Europe totaled €12.5 billion in 2022, a 5.7% YoY decrease
- U.S. business-to-business print magazine revenue was $7.8 billion in 2022, down 3.9%
- Global print magazine ad revenue projected to fall from $15.2 billion in 2023 to $11.4 billion by 2027
- U.S. magazine media total revenue hit $28.5 billion in 2021, with print at 22% share
- Print subscription revenue in the U.S. magazine industry was $10.2 billion in 2022, down 1.8%
- Asia-Pacific print magazine market size was $14.7 billion in 2022, growing at 1.2% CAGR
- U.S. print magazine revenue per capita stood at $79 in 2022, down from $82 in 2021
- Canadian print magazine industry revenue declined 6.3% to CAD 1.2 billion in 2022
- U.K. print magazine sector revenue was £2.1 billion in 2022, falling 4.5% YoY
- Print magazine market in India valued at INR 25 billion in 2023, down 7%
- U.S. consumer print magazine revenue share of total industry was 64% in 2022 at $18.3 billion
- Global print magazine revenue forecasted to contract by 22% from 2022 to 2027
- Australian print magazine revenue dropped 9.1% to AUD 450 million in 2022
- B2B print magazine revenue in Europe was €4.2 billion in 2022, declining 4.8%
- U.S. magazine print revenue as percentage of total media spend was 1.2% in 2022
- Print magazine market in China reached CNY 18.5 billion in 2022, down 5.4%
Revenue and Market Size Interpretation
The print magazine industry is valiantly staging a dignified, well-funded retreat from the modern world, shedding billions with the solemn grace of a sunset in a declining market.
Sources & References
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