The magazine industry is poised for renewed revenue growth next year, according to industry projections by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
The insights were pulled from PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook – Magazine Publishing Overview, 2014-2018, and cited by Print in the Mix.
According to the article, total magazine revenue is expected to resume growth in 2015, reversing the trend of declines over the past few years.
By 2018, total magazine revenue is expected to reach $98.1 billion, up from $97.1 billion in 2013.
Digital magazine circulation is expected to account for much of this revenue increase, with publishers having “increased success in converting digital magazine readership from free to paid-for digital editions,” according to the article. Part of this growth will be due to the “all-you-can-read” style of digital subscription that is still being proven.
And while print circulation continues to decline slightly, it appears to be leveling off in the near future as the industry stabilizes.
Ad revenue in the U.S. magazine market is expected to see very modest growth, while emerging markets like China, India, Russia and South Africa are poised for a strong showing.
This is good news for magazine publishers, and offers them a good opportunity to capitalize on these insights to maximize returns. Nice to see these bar charts going the other way again!