Newsstand sales of consumer magazines were off 9.2% compared with the first six months of 2010, with growth in some Hispanic lifestyle titles being offset in declines in traditional newsweeklies such as Newsweek as well as a surprising plunge in celebrity themed magazines.

All told the 418 magazine titles covered by ABC sold 29.8m copies at retail, while overall circulation for the same titles fell to 301m from 305m during the same period last year.

The print magazine sales decline could be a sign that American media consumers are increasingly abandoning print general interest periodicals in favor of mobile-, tablet- or PC-based versions of the same titles. But print industry executives suggested that all newsstand sales numbers have to be looked at with a grain of salt.

During a call with analysts to discuss his company's financials (see related story in this bulletin) Quad/Graphics CEO/Chairman/President Joel Quadracci noted, "Single copy sales-in terms of newsstands-have been challenged for 20 years. Part of it is the distribution infrastructure of that industry is really inefficient, so I'd be careful when you look at newsstands sales. But if you look at circulation numbers of actual subscribers, it's held up relatively well during the recession.

He continued: "The magazine world is beginning to understand that it's really about their brand - and not about their brand being consumed in one particular way or the other." Quadracci added this strategy this is even helping some magazines gain new print subscribers.