Lagardère Active: AEPM readership results confirm the group’s strategy of focused strengt

The AEPM has just released its magazine readership figures for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2007.
(NOTE: The trends presented below are calculated vs. the June 07 and 2006 cumulative figures published one year ago)

The magazine publishing sector has shown strength and resiliency, with an average readership increase of 1.2% vs. 2006/2007 cumulative figures.

In this favourable context, Lagardère Active titles in key markets and growth sectors put in a particularly strong performance:

• Four titles had over 4 million readers (Version Femina, Télé 7 Jours, TV Hebdo and Paris Match), placing them among the Top 10 most frequently read weeklies in France.
• Leadership positions were achieved in a numerous segments.

Excellent performances by general news weeklies and women’s magazines:

Such prestigious titles as Paris Match and Elle confirmed their fundamental rising trend.
Paris Match drew 4.791 million readers and remains the uncontested leader among news weeklies. It has shown steady growth with increases of 4.2% vs. 2006-2007, and 10.7% vs. 2006.

Elle, with 2.442 million readers a week is up 5.8% vs. 2006-2007 and by 8.3% vs. 2006. The magazine’s results are perfectly consistent with its three-year circulation trend.
Also noteworthy was a net readership increase for Elle à Table, which drew 1.312 million readers (up 5.4%).

With 9.88 million readers, Version Femina was still the leader by a wide margin in the general women’s magazines segment.

Public, the new-generation celebrity magazine, generated the strongest growth in its segment with increases of 11.5% vs. 2006-2007, and 26.3% vs. 2006. With 284,000 new readers, it also registered the 3rd strongest growth figures of this sweeps period for all titles combined. The title thus continued its uninterrupted growth since its launch in 2003.

Télé 7 Jours, the most widely read general-interest TV magazine, with 6.465 million readers, has practically stabilized its performance, which accurately reflects its circulation trend.

House and garden magazines register positive results:
The readership of Elle Décoration was up by 1.3% and Campagne Décoration registered particularly strong growth of 8%, while the readership of Le Journal de la Maison remained stable with 1.359 million readers.
As for Mon Jardin Ma Maison, it remained stable and is still the leader in its segment.

In the special interest segment, Lagardère has a leadership strategy in the various segments in which it is present:
Première, which is still the No. 1 film magazine, increased its readership by 5.9% (1.466 million readers). It will be recalled that the magazine introduced a new format in last January.
As for Auto Moto, France’s leading car magazine with nearly 3.3 million readers, its readership increased by 2.1% vs. 2006-2007 and by 9.6% vs. 2006.

Bruno Lesouëf, managing director of publications made the following statement: “These very good readership results accurately reflect our positive circulation trends and confirm the group’s strategy of strength, which is focused on major weeklies and growth sectors.”

Constance Benqué, CEO of Lagardère Publicité, commented as follows: “This excellent overall performance shows the vitality of the magazine publishing sector and represents a confidence-building tool for advertisers and their consultants. Lagardère Publicité has confirmed its status as France’s leading media buying agency and our portfolio of titles is now able to reach 63% of the population.”