Q3 magazine ad revenues up 4% to nearly $4.8B

American consumer magazines are showing some signs of life.

Despite a decline in ad pages sold, U.S. magazines' print ad revenues rose 4% during the third quarter to $4.75 billion as rebounding readership allowed publishers to charge more, according to new data from Publishers Information Bureau, a unit of MPA -- The Association of Magazine Media.

Print ad pages in the 200 magazines that are members of the association continued to decline in the third quarter, down 1.8% from a year ago. But digital ads in tablet editions -- up 6.8% among 58 e-magazine titles measured - helped offset the loss. Tablet ad units increased 17.5% during the third quarter, it said.

Magazine readership has been inching up this year -– up 2.6% in the first half of this year in both printed products and tablets –- and publishers have been able to fetch more dollars for print ads.

"This is an encouraging trend, with consistent advertising growth in magazine media across platforms," said Mary Berner, CEO of the magazine association. "Marketers are shifting dollars in some instances from print to tablet editions, but continue to invest in magazine media. Print is improving and the tablet business is growing."

The number of magazines that reported increases in ad pages and revenue almost doubled this year from a year ago.

HGTV Magazine, a unit of the cable TV network owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, had the highest increase in ad sales, up 298% to $7.8 million.

Ten of 18 magazines published by Condé Nast, led by Bon Appétit and Details, reported an increase in ad pages old, the company said.

Ad sales at People, which generates the industry's highest ad revenue, rose 21% to $273 million. The number of pages sold was up 14%.

The following magazines reported an ad sales increase of at least 30%: Barrons, Eating Well, ESPN Magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Fine Cooking, Fit Pregnancy, Health, HGTV Magazine, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style Weekly, Men's Fitness, Muscl! e & Fitness Hers, OK Weekly, Ser Padres, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Star and Women's Health.

More drug ads – up 28.7% in revenue -- were placed than any other category, followed by food and toiletries/cosmetics.