All Other Published Numbers And Reports Are Dead Wrong!

The news of the decline of magazine launches has been greatly exaggerated…This is a post that I did not want to publish, but the professor of journalism in me is what forced me to publish it… This is not a Mr. Magazine™ blog post, but rather a Dr. Samir A. Husni, Ph.D. blog post. Even in a digital age, the truth must always be told and reporting should continue to be held to the same rigor regardless what some may call Speed First, Truth Second. So, here it goes:When it comes to MediaFinder’s number of new magazine launches the numbers reported are dead wrong. Media reporters who publish the numbers based on the MediaFinder numbers are also dead wrong. Both MediaFinder and the reporters who promote their numbers are doing nothing but a disfavor to truth first and the media industry second. Without any research and questioning of such numbers (which I have called reporters and researchers to pose questions to) I have seen more articles written about the sad status of new magazines. Media Post, Quartz, Folio.com, Crain’s New York Business… all reported the 35% decline in new magazine launches according to the press release from MediaFinder. No questions or fact-checking whatsoever…Here is one such article:Books and newspapers will do just fine in 2016. Magazines? Not so much By Amy X. Wanghttps://qz.com/584744/books-and-newspapers-will-do-just-fine-in-2016-magazines-not-so-much/The fact is I have collected and recorded 236 new magazines this past year compared to 232 from the previous year. MediaFinder numbers says 96 (some reported 113) titles were launched compared to 148 (some reported 190) in 2014. My numbers show an increase of 4 magazines. MediaFinder numbers show a decrease of 35% (depends on which numbers reporters opted to use). I have each and every one of those magazines. If I do not have a physical copy of the magazine, I do not include it in my numbers. The reason I say at least, because I know I may have missed some regional and city magazines that I could not reach or visit. My numbers are based on my field research on the newsstands first, media research second, and requesting first editions if I miss one here or there.I publish monthly on the Mr. Magazine™ Launch Monitor the numbers of new magazines, bookazines, and specials and annuals. All you have to do is look and count the titles.And so you will have a feel of what magazines launched in Dec. 2015, here is the post from my Mr. Magazine™ Launch Monitor (which by the way is open and free to anyone who bothers to check the facts and record the numbers…The reason for this post is obvious – numbers – true reported and researched numbers – don’t lie…And now the Launch Monitor:It was a very Merry Christmas indeed with a total of 68 new titles, 32 with promised frequency. From the Neue Journal with a stellar cost of $35 to  more coloring and activity magazines for adults; the month of December was filled with gifts for everyone. From the array of beautiful covers below, one can tell that diversity was relevant as several digital entities such as Tablet, SwimSwam, Gear Patrol, and Pure Times stepped out to join the ranks of print as 2016 has been declared, by Mr. Magazine™ at least, as the year to Celebrate Print!Welcome to the New Year of print as we revel in our new December launches…and stay tuned for a magnificent January!Up first our frequency titles:And now our specials: