Circulation for US consumer magazines declined at an increased rate in the first half of 2010, according to data released by the US Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).

The figures suggest a 2.27 per cent drop in total paid and verified circulation for consumer titles between January and June 2009 and the same period in 2010.

Fifteen of the top 25 consumer magazines by paid and verified circulation in the first half of 2010 posted drops in circulation. Of these, Reader's Digest recorded the largest decline - a 25.08 per cent year-on-year drop to 6,112,811. Time magazine posted a slight decrease in circulation for the period falling by 1.77 per cent from January to June 2009 to 3,312,484.

Newsweek, whose parent company the Washington Post Co. announced the title's sale to audio technology businessman Sidney Harman earlier this month, recorded a 39.1 per cent year-on-year drop in paid and verified circulation, making it one of the worst performing titles with a circulation above 1 million.

But the latest ABC report brings better news for specialist publishers: GameStop Corp's Game Informer Magazine recorded a 21.19 per cent increase in circulation, rising to 4,364,170; while Kraft-owned title Food & Family saw a 649.71 per cent year-on-year increase to 1,084,504 for the six-month period.

Other titles with substantial circulation gains included Bon Appetit, Science News, Organic Gardening and Newsweek.



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