The magazine market - France

A magazine is a periodical publication format representing one of the traditional segments of the printed press. It generally focuses on a specific theme and has a precise editorial line. It is sold at various points of sale (newsstands, tobacconists, newsagents, supermarkets, etc.) or can be mailed directly to subscribers. For several years now, the magazine market has been in sharp decline. Paper has been challenged by digital technology and its new uses, particularly among the younger generation: online press, social networks, video, etc. Worldwide, the sector is forecasting an average annual decline in revenues of 2.4% over the period 2020-2024. In France, the number of copies circulated fell by 4% in 2024. Despite the French people's attachment to the printed press, which is regularly cited as one of the media most trusted by the public, the entire industry has been weakened: publishers, printers and press distributors have been going through troubled times for several years. In particular, press advertising revenues have fallen by 19% between 2018 and 2023, while a third of newspaper printers have disappeared in the last decade. The magazine market is in transition, and must reinvent itself if it is to survive in the digital age. While paper is not dead, with new titles launched every year in a variety of sectors and for a variety of audiences, publishers are focusing their efforts on digital. Websites and applications, online kiosks, videos on social networks, podcasts: there are many avenues to explore in order to deploy magazines on the net, continue to deliver information to readers on new media, and develop synergies between paper and digital. Declining sales are also prompting magazine publishers to broaden their activities in order to diversify their sources of revenue. More and more of them are investing in the audiovisual and events sectors, which can complement their core business.