Was: magazines; Now: Positive Signs

**"Doreen Howard" g*@charter.net**

Thanks for posting the URL on the upturn in magazine profits, Jo Ellen.  A
couple of observations upon reading the article, looking at the attached
chart and reading two related articles on women's service magazines and
their declining sales.

As a category, home & garden magazines improved 8 percent on average.  The
one specific cited, Better Homes & Gardens, improved more than 9 percent.
This is encouraging for we garden writers.  Maybe the worst is over.

Woman's Day and Family Circle, the 800-pound gorillas on the supermarket
magazine racks have problems.  Their revenues are dipping dramatically.
And, they are losing readers.  As a former WD editor, I make this
observation.  About 18 months ago, there was a swing towards fantasy life.
The magazines started regular columns on living rich, imitating soap opera
stars and TV personalities for decorating, clothing and gardening.  The
economy is bad, and people count pennies.  The living rich scenario was
timed perfectly wrong.  A side article said that WD will be dropping their
newsstand price soon.

And, lastly.  The 2004 Old Farmer's Almanac is #5 in paperback sales in this
Sunday's New York Times Book Review.  That issue contained a 36-page
Gardener's Companion sample, (of which I wrote half), and we are getting a
huge response for subscriptions to that gardening magazine.  Another sign
that maybe the worst is over for garden writers.
Doreen Howard

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