Our survey of Britain's 25 most important media companies, covering TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, music and digital
Hearst's range of upmarket titles, including Esquire and Harper's Bazaar, provide some insulation from the advertising declines hurting lower-end magazines. Advertising spend in consumer print magazines has fallen almost 40% between 2005 and the end of 2013, from £703m to a forecast figure of £431m. "Hearst has got a set of brands that are a bit more stable and the kind of products that shouldn't completely crash," says Douglas McCabe, a media analyst at Enders Analysis. The company is lumbered, however, with three ailing women's weeklies – Reveal, Best and Real People – which suffered double-digit sales declines last year in a troubled market. One source suggests there was a "brand disconnect" between De Puyfontaine and the three titles.
"He is very good at the high end but I suspect finds it difficult to get in there and wrestle with the pigs," the source says.
