AARP Shows Largest Growth in Readership

With 43.6 million adult readers, People is once again the magazine title with the largest audience, according to top-line readership data from Mediamark Research Inc.’s spring 2009 report, released today. MRI surveys circulation, audience and readers per copy.  

Better Homes & Gardens was number two on the list with 39 million readers followed by AARP The Magazine with 35.6 million. AARP, however, took the top spot in circulation with 24 million, followed by Reader’s Digest (8.6 million) and BHG (7.7 million).

AARP also saw the largest readership growth of any magazine in the survey, gaining more than 800,000 readers (up 2.3 percent) in the last six months and more than 1.3 million readers in the last year. (AARP's members get the magazine as part of their membership in the association.) Game Informer (up 770,000 readers, or 9.6 percent), Us Weekly (611,000, 5.3 percent), Guns & Ammo (494,000, 7.1 percent) and Vogue (492,000, 4.6 percent) rounded out the top five.

In terms of demographics, National Geographic registered the largest male audience with (17.5 million readers) while Better Homes & Gardens can claim the largest female audience (31.1 million).

Enthusiast titles, meanwhile, were found to have more readers per copy than mass-market titles—with Bridal Guide at the top of the list (22.12 readers per copy) followed by Soap Opera Weekly (22.06) and PC Gamer (20.91).

Circulation (as provided by ABC or BPA)

1.    AARP The Magazine | 24 million
2.    Reader’s Digest | 8.36 million
3.    Better Homes & Gardens | 7.66 million
4.    Woman’s Day | 3.9 million
5.    People | 3.72 million

Audience

1.    People | 43.6 million
2.    Better Homes & Gardens | 39 million
3.    AARP The Magazine | 35.6 million
4.    National Geographic | 32 million
5.    Reader’s Digest | 31.8 million

Readers Per Copy

1.    Bridal Guide | 22.12
2.    Soap Opera Weekly | 22.06
3.    PC Gamer | 20.91
4.    Brides | 17.23
5.    Guns & Ammo | 16.85

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