It is hard to realize the meaning of these figures, which represent
the present circulation of MCCLURE'S MAGAZINE. Three years ago
five magazines--"The Century," "Harper's," "Scribner's," "The
Cosmopolitan," and "Munsey's"--apparently occupied the whole magazine
field. But their total circulation was not over five hundred thousand
copies. The circulation of MCCLURE'S is now equal to three-fifths of
the combined circulation of all its rivals at the time it started.
"Harper's Magazine" and "The Century" for many years supplied the need
of the American people for great illustrated monthlies. One imagines
that every intelligent family in the United States takes one or the
other, or both, of these magazines. "Harper's" is over half a century
old, and "The Century" has just completed twenty-five years of
splendid life.
MCCLURE'S has a circulation equal to both these giants of the magazine
world.
We mention these facts, not for the mere sake of comparison, but
simply to enable our friends to understand what a circulation of three
hundred thousand means.
And while we are speaking about ourselves we might mention that for
three months--October, November, and December--we had, month by month,
more paid advertising than any other magazine, while our December
number had more pages of paid advertising than any other magazine at
any time in the history of the world.
Another interesting fact is that during the two months of November
and December, MCCLURE'S MAGAZINE made greater strides in permanent
circulation than any other magazine ever made.