Amy Watson
Research expert covering news and publishing
U.S. print media industry - statistics & facts
The gradual decline of print media has been ongoing for years, but some mediums are struggling more than others. Although book sales remain consistent and magazines are surprisingly successful, newspapers are suffering as the pull of free online news content draws print readers away from physical publications.
A healthy amount of new magazine publications are launched each year, many of which focus on ”special interest” topics, and there appears to be a market for publications covering niche topics. This includes bookazines, which have a longer shelf life than typical magazines and offer the permanence of a book but the experience of a magazine.
Clearly challenges lie ahead for the print media industry but readers are not prepared to replace all of their physical publications with computer screens just yet. It will be the newspaper industry which faces the most obstacles in years to come, but the appeal of glossy magazines and printed books looks set to stay.
Newspapers in the U.S.
Newspaper advertising space revenue has not surpassed 15 billion U.S. dollars since 2015 and subscription revenue remains stagnant with few signs of improvement, and even major papers have suffered. The average print circulation of The New York Times has dropped significantly since 2014 and is now under 400 thousand, with many consumers now making use of the company’s digital content offering instead.Magazines in the U.S.
Whilst printed newspapers are losing readers, the total number of magazine readers actually grew overall between 2014 and 2019, and despite some losses since then, remains stable . Many magazine publishers have attempted to adapt and fulfil the demand for digital content, and now ensure that they offer this to supplement their print products. People magazine reportedly has the highest total average audience in the U.S., and with a reach of over 82 million is the most popular magazine brand in the U.S. by a significant margin.A healthy amount of new magazine publications are launched each year, many of which focus on ”special interest” topics, and there appears to be a market for publications covering niche topics. This includes bookazines, which have a longer shelf life than typical magazines and offer the permanence of a book but the experience of a magazine.
Books in the U.S.
Last but not least is the U.S. book market, which is also performing relatively well. The printed book segment serves as a constant in the industry. Even given the growing amount of e-books and audiobooks, book readers still enjoy printed books and the physical format seems to be something that readers see as a benefit.Clearly challenges lie ahead for the print media industry but readers are not prepared to replace all of their physical publications with computer screens just yet. It will be the newspaper industry which faces the most obstacles in years to come, but the appeal of glossy magazines and printed books looks set to stay.
