Details on the magazine publishing industry?

Question

I am writing a white paper on the consumer magazine publishing industry (Time, Economist, People etc.), and need some statistics.

QUESTIONS:
1) How many magazines does an average reader subscribe to?

2) For readers who subscribe to more than one magazine, what is the genre mix. E.g. do people subscribe to magazines focusing on the same topics e.g sports, or are topics completely different without any overlap?

3) What is the typical readership time spent by a reader on a magazine article (print and online) and a blog - for "similar" content of course?

4) What are the typical page views or lifetime of a blog and magazine article before it dies down?

5) What is the typical conversion rate for ads in a magazine (print
and online articles) and a blog?

If you have any questions or need further clarification, just let me know.

Happy hunting!

yep, i know about them but i would rather not trust trade organizations - all pictures are made rosy by them

Answer 1

You really should try the MPA. The trade organization exists to support those in it - not just to make magazines look good to advertisers. They are a resource for those of us who are in the industry.

The readership studies are real. You are not going to get an answer any other way - internal magazine surveys are never released.

If you want to focus on readership - MRI studies are pretty much it.

Answer 2

Try the Magazine Publishers Association of America. There is also one in Australia.