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The periodical publishing industry earned total operating revenues of $2.1 billion in 2011, a decline of 2.2% from 2010. Operating expenses declined 0.6% to reach $1.9 billion. Salaries, wages and benefits representing the largest cost to periodical publishers, declined 4.6%. In 2011, the industry posted an operating profit margin of 7.1%, down from 8.5% in 2010.
Periodical publishing includes magazine publishers as well as publishers of shopping guides, real estate guides and custom periodical publishers.
Firms operating in Ontario and Quebec accounted for most of the industry's activity. Periodical publishers in Ontario earned 56.5% of the industry's total operating revenues in 2011, while Quebec firms accounted for 22.8%. Periodical publishers operating in the Prairies and in the Atlantic Provinces represented 11.4% and 2.0% of total operating revenues respectively, while British Columbia and the Territories accounted for the remaining 7.3%.
Sales revenue derived from advertising in 2011 accounted for 73.8% while 26.2% of operating revenues were attributed to circulation; virtually unchanged from the results witnessed in 2009. These sales revenues data are based on the core activities of producing and publishing periodicals and do not include data for other revenue generated by firms classified to this industry.
Respondents to the survey indicated that 87.3% of the periodical titles published were intended for a general audience, while 12.7% contained subject matter more focused on the business and trade community. For purposes of this publication, "other periodicals" are under the heading of "general interest". This category not only includes mass circulation periodicals but also titles that provide information on real estate, tourism, shopping and religious themes.
In 2011, respondents indicated that controlled circulation periodicals accounted for 41.0% of all titles published, while subscription sales represented 24.3% of reported sales volumes. Sales from newsstands and other copies sold represented 15.5% of circulation and 19.3% of periodicals published were distributed as complimentary copies.
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