Jostling for the best seats
Movie Magazines: Two of the four free titles have high reach, while two have significantly lower reach. The reasons for this are unclear.
Cinema magazines Two out of four free titles have a high reach, two clearly lower. According to Mach Basic 2004, the Swiss-German cinema magazine Close-up has 177,000 readers - a first, as the magazine has not previously reported readership figures. "We are very satisfied," said Jean-Claude Bruhin, Head of Marketing at Cinecom, which markets the magazine on behalf of publisher Teleclub. Thanks to Close-up, it is now clear for the first time that the four Swiss free cinema titles generate a total of 750000 monthly contacts, with Close-up and Film demnächst (FD) together generating 432000 contacts in German-speaking Switzerland and Avant première (AP) and Live 318000 contacts in French-speaking Switzerland.
The performance of the magazines is very different. With 255,000 readers, FD not only reaches around 78,000 more readers than Close-up, it also achieves this lead with a significantly lower circulation. Specifically, FD achieves 2.5 readers per copy (LpE), while Close-up only achieves 1.1 LpE. The picture is similar in French-speaking Switzerland: AP has 2.4 LpE, Live 1.1 LpE. This was even more striking a year ago: FD's score was 3.2 LpE, AP's was 2.8 LpE, while Live was already bobbing along at 1.1 LpE back then.
But why? Qualitative differences are hardly the reason. The fact that Close-up is primarily available in the cinemas of the Kitag chain and Live in those of the Europlex Group, while FD and AP cover the others, does not explain the different LpE values either, as moviegoers are hardly guided by ownership. The fact that 59% of the close-up circulation is sent to CS-Cinecard holders could play a role. This was similar for Live until a few months ago. AP and FD, on the other hand, have no such partnership, having terminated an earlier one with Swiss Post in spring 2003. "I was worried that our reach would collapse as a result, but that wasn't the case," says Jean-Pierre Grey, Product Manager at FD and AP and Publishing Director of Live.
In short, the different performances of the magazines can hardly be attributed to the distribution channels. Bruhin suspects: "Film demnächst has the more memorable title than Close-up. This may have a negative impact on our magazine in the Wemf surveys." Grey agrees with him: "Qualitatively, the magazines are similar, but Film demnächst is probably more familiar than Close-up."
However, regardless of whether the titles have one or two LpEs, readership figures have generally declined. The total reach of the three titles that already had readers in 2003 fell by nine percent. On the one hand, this has to do with the main target group of the cinema medium - 20 to 29-year-olds - which has declined significantly over the last ten years (see WW 31/04). Jean-Pierre Grey sees another reason in last year's summer. "Good weather harms the medium of cinema - and we then also sell fewer copies." Cinema attendance did indeed fall last year, but less sharply than the reach of the magazines. In view of the many cinema-dependent distribution channels, there is probably only a limited correlation.
To each his own strategy
What happens next? For Bruhin, one thing is clear: "At Close-up, we have to work on the title image and be more present with the magazine." He describes the fact that the magazine has been doing a monthly split in 20 Minuten since May as a "step in this direction", although this effort will not be reflected in Mach Basic 2005 (see box).
For his part, Grey is working primarily on Live. He wants to try to revitalize the partnership that was terminated by CS. He also has another sales channel in prospect. What is certain is that Live will be
November will have a People section - thanks to a collaboration with Radio NRJ.
However, no significant changes are planned for FD and AP. Grey had greatly expanded its distribution channels last year (Mediamarkt, advance ticket sales outlets, video stores and video clubs), with the result that FD's circulation since last spring has been an uncertified 190000 copies and AP's 140000 copies. FD has also recently started cooperating with NRJ Zurich, albeit on a countertrade level (spot against ad). "We are also currently in discussions with Star TV," says Grey.
Four magazines that are used very differently: Why this is the case remains a matter of speculation.
Close-up creates the greatest insight Publishing range Free range Free range
2003* Edition 2004* Edition
in 1000 in % in 1000 in % Film soon Quorum 264 6.5 81232 255 6.2 99506
Close-up Teleclub - - 159840 177 4.3 160003
Avant première Quorum 222 17.1 78110 193 14.9 81230
Live quorum 144 11.1 125836 125 9.6 117673
Total 630 750
* The ranges for 2003 and 2004 are adjusted to the 2000 census. Source: Wemf
Significantly more movie admissions againThe number of movie admissions is on the rise again. "In the first half of 2004, cinemas recorded 12 percent more admissions than in the first half of 2003, and in the months from May to August there was even a (still provisional) increase of around 25 percent," says René Gerber, Managing Director of the cinema and film distributor association Procinema.
Gerber expects growth of around 12% for the year as a whole. "This would have made up for last year's decline somewhat," he says. (mk)
Wemf does not survey splits in 20 MinutenAccording to Mach Basic 2003, the event magazine Good News had 114,000 readers, this year it is still 79,000. A loss of reach of 30 percent? "No", says Harald Amschler, Head of Research at Wemf, "in 2003 the Good News split in 20 Minuten was also included, but this year only the Good News magazine was surveyed." Next year, the same will be done, also with the new close-up split. "We have to deliver reach for units that can be occupied, there is no separate rate for the split," says Amschler, explaining the change. (mk)
Markus Knöpfli
The performance of the magazines is very different. With 255,000 readers, FD not only reaches around 78,000 more readers than Close-up, it also achieves this lead with a significantly lower circulation. Specifically, FD achieves 2.5 readers per copy (LpE), while Close-up only achieves 1.1 LpE. The picture is similar in French-speaking Switzerland: AP has 2.4 LpE, Live 1.1 LpE. This was even more striking a year ago: FD's score was 3.2 LpE, AP's was 2.8 LpE, while Live was already bobbing along at 1.1 LpE back then.
But why? Qualitative differences are hardly the reason. The fact that Close-up is primarily available in the cinemas of the Kitag chain and Live in those of the Europlex Group, while FD and AP cover the others, does not explain the different LpE values either, as moviegoers are hardly guided by ownership. The fact that 59% of the close-up circulation is sent to CS-Cinecard holders could play a role. This was similar for Live until a few months ago. AP and FD, on the other hand, have no such partnership, having terminated an earlier one with Swiss Post in spring 2003. "I was worried that our reach would collapse as a result, but that wasn't the case," says Jean-Pierre Grey, Product Manager at FD and AP and Publishing Director of Live.
In short, the different performances of the magazines can hardly be attributed to the distribution channels. Bruhin suspects: "Film demnächst has the more memorable title than Close-up. This may have a negative impact on our magazine in the Wemf surveys." Grey agrees with him: "Qualitatively, the magazines are similar, but Film demnächst is probably more familiar than Close-up."
However, regardless of whether the titles have one or two LpEs, readership figures have generally declined. The total reach of the three titles that already had readers in 2003 fell by nine percent. On the one hand, this has to do with the main target group of the cinema medium - 20 to 29-year-olds - which has declined significantly over the last ten years (see WW 31/04). Jean-Pierre Grey sees another reason in last year's summer. "Good weather harms the medium of cinema - and we then also sell fewer copies." Cinema attendance did indeed fall last year, but less sharply than the reach of the magazines. In view of the many cinema-dependent distribution channels, there is probably only a limited correlation.
To each his own strategy
What happens next? For Bruhin, one thing is clear: "At Close-up, we have to work on the title image and be more present with the magazine." He describes the fact that the magazine has been doing a monthly split in 20 Minuten since May as a "step in this direction", although this effort will not be reflected in Mach Basic 2005 (see box).
For his part, Grey is working primarily on Live. He wants to try to revitalize the partnership that was terminated by CS. He also has another sales channel in prospect. What is certain is that Live will be
November will have a People section - thanks to a collaboration with Radio NRJ.
However, no significant changes are planned for FD and AP. Grey had greatly expanded its distribution channels last year (Mediamarkt, advance ticket sales outlets, video stores and video clubs), with the result that FD's circulation since last spring has been an uncertified 190000 copies and AP's 140000 copies. FD has also recently started cooperating with NRJ Zurich, albeit on a countertrade level (spot against ad). "We are also currently in discussions with Star TV," says Grey.
Four magazines that are used very differently: Why this is the case remains a matter of speculation.
Close-up creates the greatest insight Publishing range Free range Free range
2003* Edition 2004* Edition
in 1000 in % in 1000 in % Film soon Quorum 264 6.5 81232 255 6.2 99506
Close-up Teleclub - - 159840 177 4.3 160003
Avant première Quorum 222 17.1 78110 193 14.9 81230
Live quorum 144 11.1 125836 125 9.6 117673
Total 630 750
* The ranges for 2003 and 2004 are adjusted to the 2000 census. Source: Wemf
Significantly more movie admissions againThe number of movie admissions is on the rise again. "In the first half of 2004, cinemas recorded 12 percent more admissions than in the first half of 2003, and in the months from May to August there was even a (still provisional) increase of around 25 percent," says René Gerber, Managing Director of the cinema and film distributor association Procinema.
Gerber expects growth of around 12% for the year as a whole. "This would have made up for last year's decline somewhat," he says. (mk)
Wemf does not survey splits in 20 MinutenAccording to Mach Basic 2003, the event magazine Good News had 114,000 readers, this year it is still 79,000. A loss of reach of 30 percent? "No", says Harald Amschler, Head of Research at Wemf, "in 2003 the Good News split in 20 Minuten was also included, but this year only the Good News magazine was surveyed." Next year, the same will be done, also with the new close-up split. "We have to deliver reach for units that can be occupied, there is no separate rate for the split," says Amschler, explaining the change. (mk)
Markus Knöpfli
