But magazines are holding their own. At least more people are reading them. More in the sense of "page views," as we say in Web parlance.

Why is this? Circulation for many magazines is down. The likely explanation for the rise is increased bulk distribution of magazines to high-traffic venues such as airport terminals, hotels, and doctors' waiting rooms, says MediaMark Research Inc., a marketing firm that measures magazine readership annually. According to them, the average number of readers per copy, or pass-along, has risen.

Consumer magazines may be fighting against television and other media for scarce advertising dollars, but their readership has been strong over the past year, according to the latest data on U.S. magazine audiences from MediaMark.

Readership of 171 continuously published magazines increased 5.3 percent among adults from 1998 to 2002. That's greater than the 4.4 percent growth of the U.S. adult population during the same period, according to MRI, which based its report on an analysis of more than 26,000 at-home interviews.

In 1998 these magazines had an average readership of 7.7 million adults, and average coverage of 3.9 percent of the adult population. By 2002, average readership had increased to 8.1 million, while average coverage rose 4 percent.

This report from MRI, plus the well-known reality that people have a tendency to do less outside-the-home entertaining and more at-home book and magazine reading during a recession, come as good news to editorial stock photographers. Photobuyers are tightening their belts, yes, but this can be a benefit to individual stock photographers in the editorial field. Publishers gravitate to individual stock photo suppliers.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AFRICA, in New York's Grand Central Terminal. 42nd Street at Park Ave. October 22, through November 4, 2002. Each of the more than 130 photographs was taken during a single 24-hour period by one hundred top photojournalists collaborating in a global photo-documentary project. The exhibit is part of a larger project that includes a photography book. Following its two-week showing the exhibition will travel to Atlanta, Washington DC., Detroit, and Chicago. Admission is free. Contact: Anne Edgar. Phone: 1 646 336-7230. E-mail: aedgar@earthlink.net.

MOST MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS don't publish just one magazine. According to the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA), there are 240 US-based publishing firms with some 1,400 titles. That means that most of the specialized magazine publishing houses you deal with will produce five to six publications. Ask around the publishing company. If a story pitch doesn't work for one magazine, you can always try the remaining four or five publications in the publisher's group. -RE