FOCUS - EUROPE: Emap proves itself star of the publishing pack

<p>Emap Elan has reason to feel satisfied with the latest round of ABC </p><p>figures, with a 2.7 per cent of year-on-year increase overall, with its </p><p>mass-market titles holding up well in the women's and men's sectors. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The flagship title, FHM, stretched its lead in the men's sector, </p><p>providing one of the few success stories in a largely flat market, Elle </p><p>made significant gains against Vogue, while the relaunched heat racked </p><p>up a 45.2 per cent year-on-year increase, burying doubts as to the </p><p>title's long term viability. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Among Emap's mass-market competitors, the National Magazine Company </p><p>suffered losses for titles She, Cosmopolitan and Company, but kept its </p><p>market position over-all. Conde Nast held steady. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The performance of IPC varied greatly across different mass-market </p><p>sector. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What's On TV maintained a strong position at the top of the listings </p><p>sector, despite the arrival of TV Choice. IPC Connect needed significant </p><p>bulk figures to help stabilise the fortunes of Woman and Woman's </p><p>Own. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, Now pulled in a good result, pushing itself closer to the </p><p>duelling OK! Magazine and Hello!. Woman's Journal maintained its </p><p>circulation climb, although despite a big marketing push, Marie Claire </p><p>failed to overtake Cosmopolitan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>IPC's most disappointing performance was in the men's sector, where </p><p>Loaded and Later both suffered losses. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The most dramatic increase in market share came from H Bauer, thanks to </p><p>TV Choice's debut ABC of more than 700,000 which rocked the TV listings </p><p>market and offset a disappointing set of results for Bella and Take A </p><p>Break. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The losses suffered by Radio Times headed a disappointing set of results </p><p>for BBC Worldwide, Top of the Pops' posted a small increase on the back </p><p>of its relaunch, but the slumping fortunes of Live & Kicking followed </p><p>its TV sibling, while BBC Homes and Antiques struggled in a declining </p><p>market. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Robust performances by niche titles boosted the results of Future and </p><p>Dennis Publishing and fuelled speculation that the specialisation of </p><p>audiences is strangling the mass-market. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, the deputy managing director of NatMags, Duncan Edwards, was </p><p>keen to play down any shift towards smaller titles. "Our interest </p><p>remains at the volume end of the market," he said, "A collection of </p><p>twigs doesn't make a log." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>