The sector’s Periodical Publishers Association says latest figures show “an improving outlook for the UK consumer magazine sector”.

Really… ?

January-to-June *ABC* magazine sales are up by a slim 0.3 percent from last year’s historic low of 23.8 million to 24.5 million.

But, looking back at a broader sweep of sales data, as we have done, you see that this year’s sales are the second worst in a decade.

Sales had been fairly consistent during the first half of the decade, but started falling off a cliff in 2005, which, coincidentally, can be fingered as the Year The Internet Went Truly Mainstream in the UK.

The PPA is using the word “robust” to describe July-to-December sales figures, which were down 1.3 percent from last year. Flat truly is the new up.

Many mags - notably those from Future - are trying to cast themselves as premium products with things like “3D HD” covers and timeless bookazines.

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