BBC closes It's Hot magazine

by Robin Parker, Media Week 15-May-07, 11:00

LONDON - BBC Magazines is to close teenage magazine It's Hot, claiming it has become unprofitable.

Aimed at 9 to 13 year old girls, the monthly title had the second lowest circulation in the teen market after Essential Publishing's TV Hits, selling 57,013 copies an issue. Sales had fallen by 11.4% year-on-year in the second half of 2006.

The move leaves the publisher with just one teen title, Top of the Pops, which has an ABC of 105,025.

It's Hot is the latest casualty in the turbulent teen sector, which saw Emap exit the market last year with the folding of Smash Hits! and Sneak and the sale of Bliss to Panini.

The closure will result in the loss of five editorial jobs but commercial staff are unaffected.

The last issue of It's Hot goes on sale on 19 July.