Given the abundant news of decreased advertising and subscription revenue of newspapers, it seems logical that magazines would also suffer a blow. Though insulated somewhat by the more specialized and targeted nature of some publications, both the overall softness in the economy and the transition from print editions to online may be effecting this form of traditional media. A quarterly report released this week by the Publishers Information Bureau notes that “Of the 231 magazines that reported advertising figures in both 2007 and 2008, 153 reported a decrease in advertising pages—80 by 10 percent or more. And only 54 magazines reported ad page gains of more than 10 percent.”

The publication leading the steepest declines in year-to-year comparisons of first quarter ad pages include National Geographic Kids, Scientific American, SI for Kids, Coastal Living, National Journal, and U.S News and World Report. All of these magazines saw a more than 35 percent change in the number of ad pages in the first quarter of 2008 compared to 2007. Despite the downward trend, a few publications, including OK! magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Guideposts, Men’s Journal, and Fast Company.