The latest Audit Bureau of Circulation Fas-Fax report, which measures circulation for July-December 2008 versus the same period in 2007, bears more bad news for Canadian consumer magazines. Of the 49 titles reporting total paid and verified circulation in 2008 and 2007, only nine showed gains, resulting in a 5.3% decline in total copies.

Here's what the big picture looks like:

Total Paid & Verified
2008: 6,923,327
2007: 7,309,722
Overall: -5.3%

Total Paid Subscriptions
2008: 5,539,816
2007: 5,818,201
Overall: -4.8%

Total Single-Copy Sales
2008: 1,056,872
2007: 1,383,819
Overall: -23.6% 

Just a handful of titles came out the period bigger and stronger: Hello! Canada, which increased subs by 250% and single-copy sales by 51.2%; More, which increased subs by 38.7% and overall paid circ by 13.2% (single copies were down 45.5%); and Western Sportsman, which grew its overall paid circ by 30.8%.

Generally, though, losses were the norm. The 20 magazines losing the most ground in total paid circ, year-over-year, by percentage, were:

1. Good Times (-11.5%)
2. Flare (-10%)
3. Moneysense (-9.6%)
4. Pacific Yachting -(8.9%)
5. Gardens West (-8.7%)
6. Canadian Home Workshop (-7.3%)
7. Time(-6.7%) (now closed)
8. Fleurs Plantes Jardins (-6.7%)
9. BC Outdoors Sport fishing (-6.6%)
10. Chatelaine (-4.1%)
11. Fashion (-4.1%)
12. Toronto Life (-4%)
13. Canadian House & Home (-4%)
14. Canadian Home & Country (-3.9%)
15. Canadian Gardening (-3.7%)
16. Harrowsmith Country Life (-3.6%)
17. Today's Parent (-3.2%)
18. Canadian Living (-3.2%)
19. L'Actualité (-3%)
20. Affaires Plus (-2.9%)