KEY POINTS:
New Zealand is a nation that loves television and celebrity gossip, though our interest in the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan is falling, the latest magazine circulation figures show.
The TV Guide and Woman's Day topped the list for weeklies with the largest circulation, as did SkyWatch for monthly titles.
The magazine audit, by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, recorded changes in circulation numbers over the past six and 12 months.
Total circulation was steady, but women's interest magazines and current affairs titles continued a trend of falling circulation.
Woman's Day, New Idea, Next and Woman's Weekly all had falling sales.
Vicki Lee, managing director of Pacific Magazines, which publishes New Idea, said she did not believe readership in the women's interest magazines was waning.
"It's probably fragmented with other players in the market.
"Depending on the economic situation, they might have bought two titles this week, they might buy three next week.
"The market can actually be quite fickle."
New Idea fell almost 5 per cent in the past 12 months, but grew almost 1 per cent in the past six months.
Computer and internet magazines Computerworld NZ, PC World and NetGuide also had plummeting circulation figures, suggesting that print was no longer the favoured medium to read such material.
Offsetting these falls were a strong rise in a number of new titles, many in the food and lifestyle category. ACP Media's new title Taste, grew 18 per cent in the past year.
Independent title Healthy Food Guide continued excellent growth, increasing circulation 35 per cent in the past year, while more established food magazines Cuisine and Dish increased their circulations.
Circulation rose 33 per cent in NZ Life & Leisure.
Interest in rugby also showed no signs of wavering as the World Cup approaches; NZ Rugby World grew almost 10 per cent in the past six months, and 7 per cent over the past year.
Magazine Publishers' Association deputy chairman John Baker said the audit did not necessarily capture a snapshot of what New Zealanders were reading, as many magazines on sale in New Zealand shelves were imported.
Retail sales of magazines accounted for $256 million a year, with about 55 million magazines sold, he said.
"There have been a lot of new entrants into the market that have provided the consumer with a lot of choice.
"The growth seems to be coming from special interests categories, niche markets. The Healthy Living Guide is a great example of that and has completely taken the market by surprise."
Current affairs magazines the Listener, North & South and Metro had falling circulations, as did teenage interest titles Girlfriend and Cleo. But youth magazine Creme showed a 22 per cent rise in circulation.
The diverse range of titles covered business, gossip, current affairs, technology, gardening, property - even esoteric topics with titles such as New Zealand Kennel Gazette, Bride & Groom, and Pet New Zealand.
Audit figures
WEEKLIES
* TV Guide
Circulation: 189,215, down 3 per cent from 12 months ago.
* NZ Woman's Day
Circulation: 136,702, down 10 per cent.
* NZ Listener
Circulation: 69,302, down 3 per cent
* Movers: Computerworld NZ (down 13 per cent).
MONTHLIES
* Skywatch
Circulation: 504,882, up 2.5 per cent.
* Reader's Digest
Circulation: 95,872, up 2 per cent.
* Australian Women's Weekly (NZ edition)
Circulation: 83,834, down 1.4 per cent.
* NZ House & Garden
Circulation: 62,598, down 4 per cent.
* North & South
Circulation: 58,052, down 8.9 per cent.
* Movers: Creme (up 22 per cent), Healthy Food Guide (up 35 per cent), Taste (up 18 per cent), NZ NetGuide (down 30 per cent), Cleo NZ (down 18 per cent)
ALTERNATE MONTHLIES
* Cuisine
Circulation: 64,761, up 1 per cent.
* Foodtown Magazine
Circulation: 36,588, down 4 per cent.
* Little Treasures
Circulation: 34,208, down 15 per cent.
* Movers: NZ Life & Leisure (up 33 per cent), Sea Spray (up 29 per cent).
