Market strike hurts mags

Magazine and tabloid sales are off as much as 20% due to the southern California supermarket strike, says a Business story by Melinda Fulmer in today's L.A. Times. Market sales here are a substantial part of national magazine numbers, and a major nut for local publications such as Los Angeles.

"It's bad," said Jade Waters, newsstand director for Los Angeles Magazine, which is owned by Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications Inc. "Everyone is taking some big hits."

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Publications such as Los Angeles Magazine would appear to have the most to lose, because regional magazines don't have a substantial market outside the strike zone. But Waters, the magazine's newsstand director, said that was not the case.

The bulk of Los Angeles Magazine's sales — about 86% of all issues — are through subscriptions.

Still, Waters said, the strike has been painful.

"Everybody I talk to is just frustrated. We are trying to reallocate copies, but in the end everyone will see some serious shortfalls."