DWM's Circulation Rockets But DWA's Plunges

Thursday, 15 August 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

Doctor Who Magazine has seen a bumper rise in circulation but Doctor Who Adventures has recorded a sizeable fall.

Figures released at midday today by the Audit Bureau of Circulations showed that DWM had a total average net circulation of 31,692 per issue between January and June 2013 - a 10.3 per cent rise on the previous six months and a 17 per cent year-on-year increase.

However, DWA - which last time reported a slight rise - had a total average net circulation of 24,497 per issue for the same period: a drop of 23.3 per cent on the Jul-Dec 2012 period and a 23.2 per cent fall year-on-year.

Tom Spilsbury, the editor of DWM, which is published by Panini, told Doctor Who News:

I'm absolutely delighted – and a little bit stunned – to see Doctor Who Magazine's ABC figure increase by so much for the first part of 2013. Whenever these figures are published, we always brace ourselves – sometimes we might have gone up a bit, sometimes we might have gone down a bit. In fact, even holding steady is always a major achievement in the current magazine climate. For us to have increased by more than 10 per cent since the last report is staggering, and also highlights our strong sales in North America, due to the increasing popularity of Doctor Who there.

Of course, the second half of 2013 will see the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who itself, so here at Panini we're very hopeful that we can keep these strong sales – and improve on them – in time for the next ABC report in six months' time. We've got some great plans for the 50th anniversary, which will include strong coverage of the forthcoming Anniversary and Christmas Specials, as well as the Adventure in Space and Time drama for BBC Two. We're also planning further ahead, as we look forward into next year and the arrival of the Twelfth Doctor.

I'd like to thank all of DWM's readers for staying with us over the years, and to give a huge welcome to anyone who's picked up the magazine for the first time recently. Doctor Who Magazine has been around for almost 34 years now, and we're going to be here for a long time yet. For DWM, the best is definitely still to come!

Jaynie Bye, of Immediate Media Co, which publishes DWA, told us:

After changing frequency, Doctor Who Adventures magazine is now the top-selling boys' fortnightly title in a tough and challenging market. With a new Doctor just announced, the 50th anniversary of the programme, and renewed interest in the Time Lord, we are very optimistic about the future of this well-established magazine.

For detailed breakdowns of the latest figures, click on the relevant links in the table below.

	Jul-Dec 2009	Jan-Jun 2010	Jul-Dec 2010	Jan-Jun 2011	Jul-Dec 2011	Jan-Jun 2012	Jul-Dec 2012	Jan-Jun 2013
Doctor Who Magazine	29,000	35,374 (+22%)	33,554 (-5.1%)	30,682 (-8.6%)	30,614 (-0.2%)	27,089 (-11.5%)	28,743 (+6.1%)	31,692 (+10.3%)
Doctor Who Adventures	44,664	53,559 (+20%)	56,648 (+5.8%)	50,013 (-11.7%)	48,470 (-3.1%)	31,903 (-34.2%)	31,935 (+0.1%)	24,497 (-23.3%)

(All figures are from the Audit Bureau of Circulations apart from the Jul-Dec 2009 figure for DWM, which is an estimate provided by DWM and included for comparison purposes. ABC figures for DWM only started being calculated in 2010. Percentages shown are the change on the previous six months.)

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM - Circulation - DWA

Telesnaps Special Highlights Early Second Doctor Era

Thursday, 11 July 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

A special edition of Doctor Who Magazine has been published today featuring telesnaps from missing Second Doctor episodes.

Although a total of 106 Doctor Who episodes no longer exist in the BBC archives, there are pictorial records of most of them in the form of photos taken of TV screens at the time of broadcast, and The Missing Episodes – The Second Doctor Volume 1 contains images from six Patrick Troughton stories across its 116 pages.

The adventures covered are The Power of the Daleks, The Highlanders, The Underwater Menace, The Moonbase, The Macra Terror, and The Faceless Ones.

The special publication also has a feature by researcher and author Richard Molesworth, which reveals how some missing episodes of Doctor Who have miraculously been found and returned to the archives over the years. Molesworth wrote the book Wiped! Doctor Who's Missing Episodes, which was updated this year for a second edition.

It is unknown as yet when Volume 2 will be published or which stories it will cover.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Specials - Second Doctor - Magazines - DWM - Patrick Troughton

Doctor Who Magazine 462

Thursday, 27 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new edition of Doctor Who Magazine, out today, asks the question as to who will be the Twelfth Doctor. And as speculation mounts about the identity of who that might be, the show’s head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat writes exclusively about casting Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, and the times they’ve shared together during the production of the series.

These have been the maddest few years of my writing career – so many ridiculous adventures, so many things I thought I'd never do – and I could not have shared them with a kinder, more considerate, more supportive friend than the man I completely refuse to call Smithers.

Also this issue:

How many Doctors? If you thought there just eleven Doctors, think again! And we’re not just referring to the surprise appearance of John Hurt at the end of The Name of the Doctor. Discover the Doctor’s forgotten incarnations in The Sixty-Seven Doctors!.
The Captain's Back! He fought at the Third Doctor's side as UNIT's Captain Mike Yates, confronting Autons, battling Daleks, and resisting the control of mad computers... DWM talks exclusively to Richard Franklin about his relationship with his alter ego.
Choc's Away! Clara makes her comic strip début in the first part of a brand new adventure, A Wing and A Prayer, written by Scott Gray with art by Mike Collins. When a sandstorm forces the TARDIS down in the Iraqi desert in 1930, Clara is overjoyed to meet the legendary Amy Johnson, currently engaged in her bid to become the first woman to fly across the world. But something else is hiding in desert sands. Something small and sinister...
Changing History: the Sixth Doctor uncovers a plot by the Cybermen to change their own history by using Halley’s comet to destroy the Earth, in Attack of the Cybermen, The Fact of Fiction places this serial from 1985 under the microscope, revealing more facts about the story than a Cyberman can shake a clenched silver fist at. Excellent!
Power Mad! DWM's Countdown to 50 reaches the final days of the Tenth Doctor era and the five Specials shown from Christmas 2008 to New Year’s Day 2010, as the chorological tour through Doctor Who history continues. So eager to help people, the Tenth Doctor crosses a line and breaks the rules...
Sun Burn: Chris, Emma, Michael and Will are on the edge of their seats as the seconds count down to disaster for the ill-fated SS Pentallian and her crew as it plunges down into the hungry fires of a sun. Will our Time Team chums survive the tension of the nail-biting Tenth Doctor adventure, 42? Or will it just be one big meltdown?
Don't Interrupt! There’s nothing more annoying than having your viewing of a brand new episode of Doctor Who disturbed by a phone call or a knock at the door. But, as Jacqueline Rayner relates in this issue’s Relative Dimensions, with a husband and two children, it’s not always easy to maintain that perfect peace and calm, even for just 45 minutes...
Yum, Yum: WOTCHA! is full of Goodies this issue as the mysterious white one shines a light on some of Doctor Who’s more notable, enduring and often quoted misconceptions – including that there was an episode featuring a giant kitten that climbed up the Post Office Tower! All this to be found in A History of Doctor Who in 100 Objects. Plus The Six Faces of Delusion continues the Goodies theme; a selection of new previously unknown definitions from The Stockbridge English Dictionary; The Top Ten Nursery Rhymes with a Doctor Who twist; and an unforgiving spotlight on another Supporting Artist of the Month.

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, ratings analysis, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more!

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who Adventures 323

Friday, 21 June 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

The new edition of Doctor Who Adventures has plenty of food for thought.

A Cyber cress head is the free gift with the magazine, which has also been creating prehistoric parasites out of fruit and is inviting readers to send in their own fruit monster designs.

Editor Natalie Barnes said:

We had so much fun creating our own edible monsters and I know our creative readers will love coming up with their own scary lookalikes. The Cyber cress head is the perfect way to upgrade boring sandwiches and add something mean and green to their meals!

Issue 323 of DWA is on sale until Tuesday 2nd July.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

DWA Returns To Fortnightly Publication

Monday, 3 June 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

Doctor Who Adventures is returning to a fortnightly publication schedule this week, with the option to subscribe being dropped as well.

It comes just two months after a relaunch for the magazine and follows a slight rise in circulation.

In a statement to Doctor Who News today, publisher Immediate Media Co said:

Previously on sale every Thursday, from Wednesday 5th June Doctor Who Adventures will become a fortnightly publication, on sale every other Wednesday. The move will allow the editorial team to put more into every issue, making each one more of an event.

Doctor Who Adventures magazine will continue to be available at a wide range of retailers and newsagents across the UK and is now also available as an iPad and iPhone app.

Despite the changes, the Doctor Who Adventures team will remain the same but we are no longer offering subscriptions to the title.

Any subscribers owed money will receive refunds, added a spokeswoman for Immediate Media.

DWA began life as a fortnightly magazine in 2006, becoming a weekly in 2008.

Issue 322 - the first of the new fortnightly editions - has a time-traveller's notebook and pen as its free gift, with the features including Jenna-Louise Coleman spilling on-set secrets, plus there's the chance to win a VIP trip to the Doctor Who Experience.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

50 Years: The Daleks

Thursday, 16 May 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A special souvenir magazine from the makers of Doctor Who Magazine has been released:

50 Years: The Daleks (Credit: Doctor Who Magazine)

50 Years: The Daleks
The Essential Guide to the Doctor's Greatest Enemy

The first of three very special publications celebrating Doctor Who's 50th anniversary focuses on the Doctor's greatest enemies – the Daleks!

Packed into 116 pages is everything you could want to know about the metal monsters from the planet Skaro – from their original encounter with the First Doctor in 1963 to their latest appearances with the Eleventh Doctor.

Each and every Dalek TV adventure is covered, plus there are exclusive interviews with Dalek voice man, Nicholas Briggs, TV director Graeme Harper, and the actor who played Davros in the 1980s, Terry Molloy. There's also a look at 1960s Dalek merchandising; how the Daleks were redesigned for the twenty-first century; a study of the career of Dalek creator Terry Nation; and a discovery of further Dalek adventures on audio, in graphic novels, computer games and on the big screen.

This souvenir volume is lavishly illustrated throughout by rare and exclusive photographs, and specially commissioned illustrations.

Doctor Who – 50 Years: The Daleks is brought to you by the publishers of the official Doctor Who Magazine, and is available now from WH Smith, newsagents and specialist retailers.

Please note: this is a special release and is not included in any regular DWM subscription.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Magazines - DWM - WHO50

Doctor Who Magazine 460

Wednesday, 1 May 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The latest edition of Doctor Who Magazine is out this Thursday, and delves into what to expect as the current run of episodes draws to a close.

Speaking about The Name of the Doctor, Steven Moffat said:

We've only just finished shooting the actual completed ending – it's ridiculously secret – but it's quite a thing, hopefully. There's often an element of throwing in some lovely names, and then figuring it out later, but I've always had a sort of plan for the Doctor and Trenzalore. Things will be resolved. Things I've left hanging in plain sight – and sometimes not in plain sight – will be tied up...

Also in this issue:

New Episode Previews! DWM previews the final three episodes of the latest series – The Crimson Horror, Nightmare in Silver and The Name of the Doctor – and talks exclusively to writers Mark Gatiss and Neil Gaiman, and returning guest stars Neve McIntosh (Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny) and Dan Starkey (Strax).
Old Friends and Enemies: The Doctor reflects on the many battles he has had throughout his lives, and must travel to the past to save the future of the Earth... Don’t miss the penultimate chapter of our comic strip epic, Hunters of the Burning Stone, written by Scott Gray, with art from Martin Geraghty, David A Roach and James Offredi.
Farewell to the Creator: DWM takes a look at the life and career of the late Raymond P Cusick, and pays tribute to the man who designed the Daleks back in 1963.
100, Not Out! Gaffer Mark Hutchings is the only person to have worked on every single episode of Doctor Who since its return to production in 2004. With more than 100 episodes under his belt, Mark shares his memories of working with three Doctors over nine years...
Childish Questions: Doctor Who's commander-in-chief Steven Moffat responds to readers’ queries – and reveals not only how the Statue of Liberty made it to Winter Quay without being seen, but also how what changes he would have made if he’d script-edited the very first episode, An Unearthly Child...
Martha not Arthur: It's 2007 – the Tenth Doctor is joined in the TARDIS by Martha Jones and together they confront the Macra, the Daleks and the Master! DWM’s journey through five decades of Doctor Who continues with Series 29 in Countdown to 50!
And Then There Were None! The Fourth Doctor and Leela find themselves on a remote island defending a lighthouse from attack by an alien Rutan in Horror of Fang Rock. The Fact of Fiction takes a long, hard look at the four-part adventure from 1977, and reveals a wealth of fascinating new facts about the story.
Daleks USA! The Time Team travel across the Pond to 1930s America where Chris, Emma, Michael and Will discover that the Daleks are responsible for the construction of the Empire State Building in the two-part adventure, Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks
Everyone's Favourite: Writer, passionate fan and mother of twins Jacqueline Rayner reveals that when it comes to choosing favourite moments and episodes, everyone in her family has their own personal choices in her latest candid column, Relative Dimensions.
True Blue: The Watcher reveals how Margaret Thatcher had a lasting influence on Doctor Who in A History of Doctor Who in 100 Objects; challenges readers with The Six Faces of Delusion, champions another Supporting Artist of the Month and provides deliciously culinary theme to Ristorante Italiano Top Ten. All this and more in this issue’s Wotcha!

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more!

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who Magazine 459

Thursday, 4 April 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Doctor Who Magazine is out now and sssssuggests that there's sssssomething very sssssspecial in the new issue.

Writer Mark Gatiss tells DWM how excited he was to bring back one of Doctor Who’s iconic monsters in Cold War:

The Ice Warriors are back where they belong and I’m absolutely thrilled! Whilst absolutely respecting the source, the source has huge gaps in which you can invent. I was talking to a couple of members of the crew, and they had no idea the Ice Warriors were an old monster. It’s very powerful. You don’t need to know they first appeared in the 60s.

I thought, 'Why don't we put the Ice Warriors on a sub?' And suddenly it all clicked! The submarine set is amazing. Fantastic! The moment it's all lit and full of steam, it's incredibly believable.

Also in this issue:

The New Series- full previews of the episodes to hit screens over the next few weeks.
Hide and Seek - Jessica Raine, soon to be seen as Doctor Who’s original producer Verity Lambert in An Adventure in Space and Time and star of Call the Midwife, reveals all about guest-starring in the forthcoming episode Hide – and how she believes in ghosts!
Where There's a Wills - Anneke Wills looks back on her time as glam-girl Polly, companion to the First and Second Doctors – and how thrilling it was to be present at the first-ever regeneration.
The Martian Chronicles - As the Ice Warriors return to menace the Eleventh Doctor, DWM winds back the clock to 1967 and the Doctor’s first encounter with the Lords of the red planet. Discover a wealth of fascinating facts about what happened to the Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria when they fought Varga on Britannicus Base as The Ice Warriors is thawed out in The Fact of Fiction.
Man At The Top - Doctor Who lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat answers more of your questions – including what Blink and his his other stories were originally called...
Road Rage - The Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones get stuck in traffic when they travel into the future for a visit to New Earth. The Time Team get caught in the Gridlock, but what will Will, Emma, Chris and Michael make of it all?
Tribal Dance - The Doctor faces his past in more ways than one as the Hunters are revealed to be the unearthly Tribe of Gum! The Doctor, Ian and Barbara attempt to unravel the mystery in Part Four of our epic comic strip, Hunters of the Burning Stone, written by Scott Grey and illustrated by Martin Geraghty.
Second Helpings - it’s 2006 and Doctor Who has become the most talked about show on TV! David Tennant is the new Doctor, Billie Piper plays Rose – and the sky's the limit on the trip of the a lifetime. DWM's trip through five decades of adventure reaches Series 28 in Countdown to 50!
Practical Parenting - What do you do when your children swap Time Lords for another interest? Jacqueline Rayner soothes the fevered brow of Doctor Who-loving parents everywhere in Relative Dimensions
Caught in a Vacuum - The Watcher ponders the triangular nature of one of Doctor Who’s greatest design innovations in A History of Doctor Who in 100 Objects, jumps to the left for a Rocky Horror-themed Six Faces of Delusion and dazzles with more entries from the Stockbridge English Dictionary. Its WOTCHA!

PLUS! All the latest offical news, reviews and previews from the worlds of Doctor Who, prize-winning competitions and crossword, and, much, much more.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who Adventures Is Relaunched

Thursday, 28 March 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

The weekly magazine Doctor Who Adventures is relaunched today with a new logo, fresh design, and new features.

It includes a new comic strip called Alien Babies, monster makes, a collectable Whoniverse guide, and behind-the-scenes secrets. In addition, the DWA website will now carry extra videos, downloads, and more content.

To celebrate, the publication is inviting youngsters to its Monster Day Out at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff on Wednesday 3rd April. Billed as the first children-only Doctor Who event there, it promises a day packed with monster fun, with visitors able to meet the Sontaran Strax and find out during special question-and-answer sessions how he feels about being called a potato head.

Three Q&A sessions will be taking place - from 11.30am to 12.30pm, 1.30pm to 2.30pm, and 3.30pm to 4.30pm - with tickets limited to 100 per session. Parents/guardians need to register for it, and every child attending must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Also during the Monster Day Out, youngsters will be able to learn cartoon skills at DWA's comic artists' workshop, find out how to walk like a monster with the show's choreographer Ailsa Berk, and create their own scary monster eggs at the "Eggsterminate" station. In addition, they will each be given a DWA goody bag.

DWA editor Natalie Barnes said:

We're really excited to be relaunching Doctor Who Adventures magazine with a dynamic new look and fantastic new content. This is a brilliant year for the show, and it's great to be a part of it. Our Monster Day Out is the perfect way for us to give something back to our readers, and for them to come face to face with one of the Doctor's most fearsome - and shortest - allies, Commander Strax!

Tickets to the the Monster Day Out are free with a valid Doctor Who Experience ticket for that day. More information, including how to buy Experience tickets and how to register for a Strax Q&A session, can be found here.

Issue 313 of DWA - the first new-look edition - has three free gifts: a design-your-own-bow-tie kit, an exclusive Topps card, and a huge sticker sheet.

As well as being available in print form, the publication, which is ranked number one in the primary boys' market, can also be downloaded as an app for the iPhone and iPad from App Stores in the UK, USA, and Australia.

FILTER: - Magazines - DWA

The Missing Episodes - The First Doctor

Thursday, 21 March 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Doctor Who Magazine have released a special magazine devoted to the surviving images from the missing episodes of the William Hartnell era:

The Missing Episodes: The First Doctor (Credit: Panini)

Sadly, 106 Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s aren't currently held in the BBC's Archives. The original videotapes were erased, and although film recordings for many early episodes were retained, others seem lost forever.

Fortunately for fans, some of these missing episodes survive in telesnap form – these are photographic images that were taken of television screens as the stories were originally broadcast. This 100-page Special from Doctor Who Magazine presents all of the lost episodes from the First Doctor's era that still exist in telesnap form, featuring the stories MARCO POLO, THE CRUSADE, THE SAVAGES, THE SMUGGLERS and THE TENTH PLANET.

There's also a fascinating feature on the man who took these telesnaps, JOHN CURA – and a look at how and why these classic pieces of television were lost from the archives.

Fill the gap in your collection, with Doctor Who Magazine: The Missing Episodes – The First Doctor!

The magazine is in the shops now.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Specials - Magazines - DWM

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