Millennium reviews prove a winner - Crisis-hit Asians also clamoured for quality coverage on business opportunities

The end of century and new millennium celebration mania emerged as the most popular cover topics among newsstand readers across Asia-Pacific in 1999. Regional news magazines rolled out reviews of the most influential personalities and developments of the past century, while business titles featured surveys which ranked corporations. Time scored a 64 per cent jump in newsstand sales to 46,391 copies for its August 23 issue, headlines: "The Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century". Leading historical figures like Mohandas Gandhi, Sun Yat Sen and Ho Chi Minh, who had set Asia's political agenda in the past century, were featured, capitalising on regional readers' attachment to their history and heritage. "The Most Influential Asians of the Century was a special issue, which had a lot of appeal to the regional market and this invariably impacted the newsstand sales," said Ms Anne Pappas, Time promotion director. Although ad revenue did not necessarily correlate to newsstand sales, Time's review for the August 23 issue was almost 50 per cent above average. Nevertheless, Ms Pappas reckoned the ultimate best seller of the year would be the December 27 "Person of the Century" special issue, given the build-up in interest in this particular topic. The issue has already pulled in ad revenue of more than US$13 million internationally; Asia generated US$3.9 million of this, up about 62.5 per cent on the previous record of US$2.4 million from the "Vision of China" issue. The May 24 Suharto Inc issue was also among the top-selling issue at newsstands, particularly in Indonesia. Other key markets also reported a sell-out of that issue. The end-of-the-century review also boosted newsstand sales of The Economist. Its September 11 issue, titled "20th Century Survey" with a cover feature on "The Tragedy of East Timor", achieved an eight per cent hike in newsstand circulation to 90,000 copies. The Economist's "20th Century Survey" issue offered an analytical and indepth report on the global political and socio-economic development of the past century. Newsstand circulation accounts for about 30 per cent of The Economist's distribution in Asia. In the wake of the Asian meltdown, regional as well as global news proved to be particularly important to Asian readers. The Economist advertising director Oliver Comyn said Asians paid more attention to international news, focussing on market and investment opportunities outside the region. International developments, which carried a regional angle and local story with global implications were in demand by readers in Asia, given the growing globalisation drive. The Economist's September 11 issue achieved ad revenue of US$590,000, up 70 per cent. Mr Comyn said advertising had picked up in the past year. Advertisers were returning with an international schedule in their plans. Advertising sales for The Economist jumped 40 per cent from April to December 1999, while newsstand sales were stable in the past year. The depressed travel sector also bounced back last year. Mr Comyn said hotels and airlines rolled out new global campaigns last year, the first time they had done so since the crisis. As a result, ad revenue showed a significant rise by year-end 1999, encouraging Mr Comyn to take a more bullish outlook on the industry's prospects this year. The new millennium preview report lifted newsstand sales of Asiaweek to 12,493 copies, 64 per cent above average. The August 20 issue, "Asia in the New Millennium", featured 20 trends, which were tipped to shape the new millennium, the millennium preview issue boosted newsstand sales 136 per cent in Malaysia, 109 per cent in the Philippines and 82 per cent in Hong Kong. The breaking news story on the tragic death of John F Kennedy Jr in a plane crash proved to be a winner in Asia. Newsstand sales of Newsweek's July 26 issue, featuring the disaster - "An American Tragedy - John F. Kennedy Jr", hit 69,817 copies, up 26 per cent compared with the average. Newsstand sales were spread evenly across the region, underlining the value Asian readers placed on both local and international news. Newsweek also capitalised on millennium coverage to boost sales. Its "Issue 2000", which hit newsstands from mid December to February, carried a range of topics, which covered issues and opportunities facing the world. Newsweek said the issue was bound to generate significant editorial interest among readers, given the preview of business, society and international affairs in the new millennium. Special corporate and country reports and surveys proved to be a strong catalyst in boosting newsstand sales. The Far Eastern Economic Review's January 7 issue, titled: "Review 200 Double Issue", lifted newsstand sales 52 per cent to 7,918 copies. Profiling the region's 200 leading companies, Review advertising director Lesley Kelly said readers showed strong interest in the kind of large qualitative reports on local and multinational companies it offered. Fortune's "Fortune Global 500" issue of August 2 achieved 31 per cent increase in newsstand sales to 8,492 copies, with total circulation amounting to 73,138 copies. The annual survey continued to break newsstand sales records in 1999. It climbed 59 per cent above average in Hong Kong, 61 per cent in Japan and 52 per cent in Taiwan. Listing the world's largest companies with analysis on the factors behind their success, the issue generated advertising revenue of US$750,000, 50 per cent up from average. Fortune's biggest advertising selling issue was the October 11 issue with the "Vision of China" cover story, whose advertising jumped more than 100 per cent above average. Business Week's June 14 issue, titled "Asia's Stars", saw a 14 per cent increase in newsstand sales to 7,847 copies and advertising revenue rose 20 per cent to US$456,000. CFO's "Value Champs" issue in November, which featured Asia's top corporate wealth creators recorded a 33 per cent jump in newsstand sales to 950 copies, while advertising revenue rose 10 per cent. Forbes' July 5 issue, titled: "The Billionaires - Masayoshi Son", featuring the world's richest people, lifted newsstand sales across the region 100.63 per cent to 16,000 copies. Chinese readers were attracted to exclusive and investigative reports, as Yazhou Zhoukan's August 29 issue, titled: "Li Ao running for Taiwan's Presidency" was 1999 best newsstand selling issue, at 4,480 copies.

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