In the news: How did magazine ad sales stack up in the first quarter of 2012?

The numbers are in, and the Publishers' Information Bureau is reporting an 8.2 percent drop in magazine ad sales in the first quarter. The results by category were mixed: many women's and men's magazines saw ad drops, but there were some noteworthy exceptions (e.g., Marie Claire, up 10 percent).

The first quarter figures showed areas of meteoric growth, including Spanish-language magazines. Individual titles that saw significant growth included Fine Cooking, Dash, Veranda, and Reader's Digest (large edition). Read more about the results for this quarter here.

Also notable

New York Times Digital Ads

Of particular interest this quarter has been the New York Times' digital ad performance. Last year, the newspaper switched to its digital paywall model. In Q1, the newspaper saw a 2 percent drop in digital advertising revenue. This slight decline is not surprising given the magazine industry's 8.2 percent ad drop in the first quarter. The news was much brighter on the circulation front, where revenues were up nearly ten percent. Read more here.

YouTube Creators and Magazine Publishing

The creators of YouTube have developed Zeen, which they describe as a tool for discovering and creating magazines. The creators have said little about this announced publishing platform, but interested users can already register for accounts. Only time will tell what features Zeen will actually offer. Read more about the forthcoming publishing platform here.

Magazines and the 2012 Webby Awards

This year, the Webby Awards recognized magazines across dozens of categories. Nominees for best magazine of 2011 include National Geographic, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and WIRED. Read Folio:'s roundup of the magazine nominations here.

Google One Pass Folds

After just a year, Google has announced plans to shutter its One Pass magazine subscription service. Press+, a rival subscription service, will grandfather in existing One Pass customers. Read more here.

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