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NME PRINT EDITION TO CEASE

The NME is to cease their print publication after 66 years in existence and three years after the magazine stopped being a paid title after a decade of sales declines saw its circulation drop to just 15,000.

NME

NME relaunched in 2015 as a free, ad funded, title with a circulation of 300,000.

The NME.com website will continue as NME joins a growing list of once mighty magazine brands that have fallen victim to the digital era.

Paul Cheal, the UK group managing director, music, at NME publisher Time Inc UK, told The Guardian:

“Our move to free print has helped propel the brand to its biggest ever audience on NME.com. We have also faced increasing production costs and a very tough print advertising market. It is in the digital space where effort and investment will focus to secure a strong future for this famous brand.”

Redundancies are possible and Time are said to be consulting with the NME’s 23 editorial and commercial staff about this possibility but Time also said:

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“NME will also be exploring other opportunities to bring its best-in-class music journalism to market in print.”

NME did make money as a brand overall through spin-off activities such as awards and events.

Keith Walker, digital director of NME, said:

“Our global digital audience has almost doubled over the past two years. By making the digital platforms our core focus we can accelerate the amazing growth we’ve seen and reach more people than ever before on the devices they’re most naturally using.”

Print title closures in the last decade include The Face, I.D, Arena, Maxim, Sugar, Nuts, Bliss, Loaded, Zoo and Company.

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