MEDIA BRW print copy axed by Fairfax
The announcement on Friday came a week after Fairfax announced plans to cut 45 staff through the closure of the (sydney) magazine in The Sydney Morning Herald, the (melbourne) magazine in The Age, and the merger of business reporting across these mastheads and the AFR.
In an email to Fairfax staff, group director of business media Sean Aylmer said the BRW brand remains a valued part of the company's portfolio and has considerable strength in the market.
"We are committed to operating all our business media titles to their full potential and leveraging the power of the AFR masthead," he said.
The Audited Media Association of Australia (AMAA) said BRW recorded 38,550 average net paid print sales for the period ending March this year.
A September audit by the AMAA showed the BRW website had 8634 average daily unique browsers and more than 585,000 page impressions.
BRW staff will be able to apply for the voluntary redundancies Fairfax is seeking from 25 business media staff.
The cuts and changes reflect a tough year for the magazine market. Advertising across the sector dropped as much as 20 per cent last financial year, leading to a number of magazine closures including Bauer Media's Grazia, Madison and Burke's Backyard.
June-quarter sales audits showed all of the audited weekly magazine titles reporting a fall in sales, but Fusion Media's Steve Allen said the declines appear to have "bottomed out" with weekly and monthly titles posting a lesser rate of decline for the June quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Fairfax Media said it will scrap the print edition of BRW magazine at the end of next month. The 30‑year‑old business publication will continue as a free online site, while some premium BRW content — including the Rich 200 list — will appear in Fairfax titles such as The Australian Financial Review.
The change reflects a tough year for the magazine market and Fairfax’s strategy to consolidate business coverage. Advertising across the sector fell as much as 20% last financial year, prompting closures and restructures. Fairfax’s group director of business media, Sean Aylmer, said the BRW brand remains strong and the company plans to leverage the AFR masthead as part of the move.
Fairfax earlier announced plans to cut 45 staff through the closure of some magazine titles and the merger of business reporting across its mastheads and the AFR. BRW staff will be able to apply for voluntary redundancies as part of a program Fairfax is seeking from 25 business media roles.
According to the Audited Media Association of Australia (AMAA), BRW recorded 38,550 average net paid print sales for the period ending March this year.
A September AMAA audit showed the BRW website had about 8,634 average daily unique browsers and more than 585,000 page impressions.
Yes. Fairfax said some premium BRW content, including the Rich 200 list, will be carried in its other titles such as The Australian Financial Review.
The decision signals a shift toward digital and content consolidation: BRW will survive as a free online site and its premium content will be integrated into Fairfax mastheads. Fairfax’s management has said it is committed to operating its business media titles to their full potential and leveraging the AFR brand.
The article notes the magazine sector has been under pressure, with advertising down as much as 20% last financial year and a number of closures (for example, Bauer Media’s Grazia, Madison and Burke’s Backyard). June‑quarter sales audits showed falls across audited weekly magazine titles, though Fusion Media’s Steve Allen said those declines appear to have 'bottomed out' with a lesser rate of decline in the June quarter.
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