Women’s Fitness saved from the chop with Citrus Media picking up licence
Recently-closed Bauer Media title Women’s Fitness is set to continue publication under new management, with Citrus Media to publish the title under license from UK-based Dennis Publishing.
Bauer’s move to close the magazine earlier this month came as a surprise as the magazine is one of the few to have enjoyed consistent circulation growth in that time, and had a circulation of 61,152 in the last survey, a 10.9 per cent increase from the year before. However it still trails its rival Pacific Magazines’ Women’s Health which has a circulation of 75,523.
The move has seen the magazine’s editorial team of six shift across to Citrus Media, with current acting editor Samera Kameleddine becoming editor effective immediately.
Citrus Media published titles including The Official PlayStation Magazine, Game Informer, Digital Photography Australia, Digital Photography DSLR and Cyclist, the last two of which are under license in Australia from Dennis Publishing.
Director Jim Flynn said: “Women’s Fitness is an amazing brand that has truly struck a chord in Australia. It’s a fantastic magazine which appeals to a broad audience and has a strong advertising offering.
“Women’s Fitness is a great fit for us and we are very pleased to be working with Dennis Publishing. We have worked with them for a number of years on Cyclist and Digital SLR Photography and look forward to adding Women’s Fitness to our licensing portfolio.”
Matthew O’Malley, Citrus Media director, will be responsible for leading the brand integration of editorial and commercial opportunities for Women’s Fitness partners.
He said: “Women’s Fitness is highly respected and I am very excited about working closely with commercial partners of this market-leading brand.” O’Malley will also continue to publish the successful editions of motoring brand Evo under license with Dennis Publishing in Australia.
Dennis Publishing license director Ian Bedwell: “We are delighted to be working with Citrus to continue the publication of Women’s Fitness. The title has had a huge success since it launched and we’re confident that Citrus will continue to build on the brand’s success.”
Bauer Media confirmed the closure of Women’s Fitness earlier this month, with the November issue to the be last. The first issue under Citrus Media management will be on shelves in December.
Miranda Ward
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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How can a little publisher make this title work ? Bauer can’t seem to make anything work, closing more mags than they are opening…..a new Bauer CEO will either speed up their demise or get them back on the right path….I think it is too late for them, they have lost too many people and the guys at Pacific appear to be doing a far better job.
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I would like to bet that either one of two things will happen – within 18 months it will be selling half what the audit says it is now…..OR it won’t be audited at all.
Take out Bauer’s ability to get into supermarkets, the 2 for 1 deals that go on and cross promotion across other titles (that are actually audited as well) and you don’t have much left.
Women’s Health won’t be losing too much sleep at all over this….
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Brand? What brand – a few house ads in other women’s titles doesn’t make it a brand.
Sounds like EVO magazine and Playstation magazine will be carrying a few Women’s fitness ads though!
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Is this really happening? There is nothing on Citrus’ website, and their Facebook page was last updated in 2011. Women’s Fitness on Facebook also says nothing, not very good publicity from any source if it is true. Take too long and people won’t just come running back checking “in case”, they’ll move on.
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