The Economist is doing well in the States

National Public Radio did a piece today on The Economist, the British-based magazine that examines business, politics and society. The item noted that while other magazines have been stagnant in terms of subscriptions, The Economist has seen an increase.

Frank Langfitt notes, “The magazine would seem to have several strikes against it. First, there’s the sleep-inducing title. Then, there’s the sometimes esoteric content. In recent issues, topics have ranged from the credit card market in Mumbai to political assassination in Kazakhstan.

“But when it comes to readership, The Economist is doing great — up 13 percent from last year. That’s on a par with some of the nation’s hottest magazines: celebrity-fueled glossies such as US Weekly and Star.”

Later, Langfitt points out, “The Economist has enviable demographics. In the United States, nearly two out of every three readers earn more than $100,000 a year. The magazine is unabashedly elitist, especially in its marketing.

“‘A lot of our readers are in very senior positions,’ said Paul Rossi, The Economist’s publisher for North America. ‘We are one of the most thumbed magazines on Air Force One. We’ve reached CEOs and politicians and financiers around the world. And that is, in some sense, an aspiration that we promote in our advertising. So, one of our tag lines is: It’s lonely at the top, but at least there’s something to read.'”

Read the piece here.