Riding high: Florida Trend enjoys another fine year

I’m proud to report that Florida Trend is enjoying another fine year. Consider the following:

» In Print: While many magazines are reporting dismal print circulation, Florida Trend’s circulation has actually grown. For the first half of 2013, circulation is up 5% to the highest level perhaps in our history.

According to a just-completed survey by a national research firm, each print copy reaches five readers thanks to sharing, buck-slips and so on — that means that more than 250,000 people read Florida Trend each month.

Just who are our subscribers? They are affluent, educated, successful and influential. Florida Trend subscribers are top executives, managers, professionals, and business owners. On average, they are in their mid-50s with a household income of $268,000 and a net worth of $2.2 million.

Well over half of them are members of a company board of directors; a great majority are college graduates; and they skew more male than female. Five out of six subscribers have purchasing/leasing authority, and most of them travel extensively, averaging 16 round-trips each year.

The best news is that they spend more than an hour reading each edition of Florida Trend — and most of them don’t receive a copy of any other regional Florida publication.

» Digital: Florida Trend’s digital versions are equally impressive.

FloridaTrend.com enjoyed 15% growth in viewership, with 72,000 unique browsers each month. And Florida Trend’s email business alerts are being sent to more than 42,000 people each morning.

Our daily e-newsletter is an electronic clip service. Working from home in the wee hours of the morning (probably in his pajamas), our online editor collects the 10 to 15 most important Florida business stories and compiles them into a newsletter that directs readers to the original source.

To get the newsletter delivered to your inbox, simply go to FloridaTrend.com and enter your email address in the box at the top right corner. It’s free.

» Awards: The regional business magazine industry group just completed its summer conference, recognizing excellence in journalism, photography and design. Once again, Florida Trend was at the top of the heap.

South Florida editor Mike Vogel won a gold award for his body of work, including reports on how expansion of the Panama Canal will impact Florida, on hurricane insurance, how local newspapers are faring and how Florida companies are combating malicious online attackers.

Associate editor Lilly Rockwell won for her profile of Jacksonville businessman Shahid Khan.

Associate editor Amy Keller brought home an award for investigative reporting on Florida physicians who dispense as well as prescribe medications.

And Executive Editor Mark Howard was recognized for his commentary.

Florida Trend also won four design awards — for photography, layout, cover and overall design — thanks to the skill of art director Gary Bernloehr and his associate, Jason Morton.

Trend won a silver award as one of the best regional business magazines in the nation.

Our daily email newsletter won an award for its mix of “digestible” nuggets and exclusive content.

This issue marks the fifth year we’ve recognized Florida’s Best Companies to Work For. Find out who the 100 winners are in small, midsized and large categories - the full report is here.

Fitness update: Though weight loss has taken a back seat, I’m doing quite well with the running. I did 2.0 miles in 21:24 making good progress toward my 5k goal.

Tags: Publisher's column