According to the Hollywood Reporter, lackluster ratings of Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network aren’t the only issue faced by the media mogul. Stats detailed on the entertainment news site reveal that O Magazine continues to struggle with ad sales.
Media Industry Newsletter show that the magazine world as a whole has been confronted with a 7 percent ad drop for all monthlies. O – Hearst’s second-most profitable title behind Cosmopolitan – is down 31.4 percent, dropping 81.4 ad pages in August.
The New York Post reports that September’s crucial numbers saw a rebound in Vogue, In Style, Glamour and a number of other publications, but O failed to earn gains. The September issue will see 126 ad pages, an 18.2 percent fall.
“O’s ad page performance is pretty consistent with what’s going on in the women’s lifestyle category,” explained a spokesperson for the mag. “There is softness, especially in the food category, which is systemic to their business, not ours.”
“The magazine is really the purest platform for Oprah’s message, and the best place for fans who miss the show to stay engaged with the brand,” the spokesperson added.
Though the statement may be true, a former Hearst insider questioned the level of demand for Winfrey’s message.
“I think that the Oprah brand has gotten slightly weaker,” the source said. “Ratings are down significantly for the new network, and there is a sense some of the magic is gone.”
In an attempt to boost the brand, Winfrey herself has been enlisted for more promotional efforts, including an “O You” event at the Georgia Convention Center. The Atlanta function reportedly has potential to gross $725,000 if the 5,000 expected attendees each pay their $125.
Information from the Hollywood Reporter and Eurweb.com contributed to this report.
