What's On, Emirates Woman and Dubai Voyager announce new circulation figures

Circulation figures for What's On have risen by 5.5% to 28,601 - 87.7% of which are paid-for copies - in the audit period July-December 2005, solidifying its position as the UAE's biggest-selling magazine. Emirates Woman, the region's only independently audited woman's monthly, has seen its circulation figures increase significantly to 20,999. In its first audit by ABC, Dubai Voyager, a magazine published by Motivate Publishing for the Department of Civil Aviation, has announced figures showing an average monthly circulation of 29,402, which is a few hundred short of the published, rate card circulation of 30,000.

Ian Fairservice, Motivate Publishing's Managing Partner and Group Editor, says:

'Circulation audits are a costly but essential investment both in terms of management time and money. If you are running a successful publishing business and have nothing to hide; if you can look your advertisers in the eye and tell them that you stand by the figures claimed in your advertising rate cards then there is nothing to stop everyone their magazines audited. That is our commitment and that is the promise that we make to our advertisers.'

Ian Fairservice adds: 'There is such a lot of nonsense talked about circulation. I'm surprised that some publishers can sleep at night with the dubious figures that they claim about their print runs and circulations.

If publishers' business models are based on selling advertising too cheaply to cover the real cost of printing all the copies they claim to produce, then the investment to close that 'exaggeration gap' is going to put a lot of titles out of business as more clients and advertising agencies are going to demand the sort of assurances and proof that they can get from publishers throughout the more developed markets.'

Membership with ABC and BPA demonstrates a firm commitment by Motivate Publishing to providing the market with independent certified data, and its support in building a credible and transparent trading currency for the region's media industry. Motivate's other titles currently under audit include HELLO!, Gulf Business and Business Traveller.