Hearst Magazines UK axes She and Cosmopolitan Bride
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Hearst Magazines UK, the new company formed from the merger of the National Magazine Company and Hachette Filipacchi, has closed its first magazines since the rebrand.
Women’s monthly glossy She and bi-monthly Cosmopolitan Bride are to be closed with immediate effect and will print their last issues this month.
She magazine had an average net circulation of 144,583 in December, according to its latest ABC. It is the 65th most actively purchased magazine in the UK, lower than recently acquired Hachette Filipacchi titles Elle and Red, which both reach circulations of more than 200,000.
Cosmopolitan Bride is fourth biggest bridal magazine in the UK and marked an average net circulation of 37,690 in December. It is thought Hearst Magazines UK will blend the content from its stablemate You and Your Wedding, the National Magazines title that recorded an ABC of 48,664 in December.
Meribeth Parker, group publishing director of Hearst Magazines UK, says the decision to close the titles was taken to ensure the company is as “robust and adaptable as possible for the future”.
She adds: “As a business that believes strongly in the future of print, it is never an easy decision to close a magazine. However we are taking this decisive action now to strengthen our overall portfolio, focusing our investment on our stronger titles and digital expansion.”
Competition in the women’s lifestyle sector has “never been fiercer” and Hearst Magazines UK felt the need to close the magazines to adapt to this trend, she says.
Hearst Magazines UK was formed earlier this week (1 Aug), when Hearst US finalised a $651m deal with Lagardère to buy its international division, which included Hachette Filipachhi in the UK.
The next magazine ABC data will be released on 18 August.
Readers' comments (6)
Mrs Z Stroud | Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:12 pm
What a dissappointment - I have subscribed to SHE for the last 4 years and think it is one of the best womens magazines out there. I particularly like the fact there is no rubbish made up stories unlike most other magazines and it is a great allrounder magazine. I found out by a 'note' in the last issue and they are offering me good housekeeping as a replacement - which is totally not my style? Feel sad for the staff and this is a great loss to the magazine shelves.
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S.C. | Fri, 26 Aug 2011 8:09 am
I agree completely. I had a subscription too -
SHE was one of the best magazines.
I have no interest in reading their replacements
Good housekeeping or Red.
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Anonymous | Mon, 29 Aug 2011 6:20 pm
I think this is a tragedy and do not think that either Elle, Red or GH compare with She.
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Jane | Sun, 4 Sep 2011 1:54 am
I have beeen reading SHE since 1978 and was gobsmacked to read the notification in the September copy of the magazine that this would be my last issue! There is no reference to the demise of this magazine in the latest issue which leads me to believe that the staff were unaware of the changes. This is heartless, cold and thoughtless - a sign of the times, where people can make changes without care and real concern for others. Many of my friends loved to read SHE and are feeling the same about this change. we are thinking about a boycott of the new company. Is there any chance of a U turn.......?!
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E Leadbitter | Sat, 15 Oct 2011 5:53 pm
I cannot believe that She magazine has closed. I have only started to read She in the last 18 months and found it to be a far superior read to the likes of red and elle etc. I hope that if they have a replacment, it will be just as good and not full of adverts like the afore mentioned titles. Very disappointing
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Trina | Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:14 pm
I have been an avid Australian reader since I discovered She in 2008. I was only recently telling my husband that I would be devastated if this magazine no longer reached Aussie shores.... I never expected this! I feel a huge void in my life already - one which will not be filled by all the other publications that are celebrity obsessed and full of unwearable fashion. Thanks to the She team for all the quality work and making my life a little brighter these past few years.
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