Double festive edition on sale on Wednesday will cost £3.20 – a 14% increase on last year
Radio Times is bringing back Santa Claus for its Christmas cover for the first time since 2009, when he was banished as a "symbol of indulgence", although readers will have to stomach a 14% cover price increase.
The two-week festive edition of the magazine, which goes on sale next Wednesday, will cost £3.20.
This is a 14% increase over the £2.80 cover price last year – and a 54% increase over the £2.20 charged in 2009 when Santa Claus last appeared on the cover.
"Radio Times readers are used to paying double the usual price for the Christmas double issue," said Kathy Day, publishing director of the Radio Times. "We go to great lengths to make the magazine worth every penny."
The Christmas issue will have a print run of almost 2.5m copies, up from the normal 900,000, with 294 pages (usually 150 to 160 pages).
A total of 48 pages of advertising have been booked, up on the 40 from last year, which will bring in well over £2m in revenue.
Including sales income the Christmas edition can expect to make about £7.5m in revenue.
British Gas has snapped up the premium advertising slot – the three-page front and back cover gatefold – for the fifth year running.
It is thought to be worth as much as £200,000, about the same as a 30-second TV ad in a semi final or final of ITV's The X Factor.
Radio Times said the furniture, retail and entertainment sectors have proved to be strong advertisers this year, with brands such as DFS, Disney, Cineworld, BSkyB and Universal Films on board.
New clients for this year include Glenlivet Whisky, LateRooms and MG Motors.
The launch of the Christmas edition will be backed with a TV ad campaign, by agency Creature London, which launches in Coronation Street on Tuesday night.
"We will be putting out 50% more pages than any other TV listings magazine title, and those pages will be packed with exclusive, insightful features, interviews and guidance and the best TV, radio and films listings package in the business," said Day.
Last year's Radio Times, which had The Snowman and the Snowdog on the front cover, sold 2.17m copies, up 3.4% on 2011.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@theguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
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Radio Times is bringing back Santa Claus for its Christmas cover for the first time since 2009, when he was banished as a "symbol of indulgence", although readers will have to stomach a 14% cover price increase.
The two-week festive edition of the magazine, which goes on sale next Wednesday, will cost £3.20.
This is a 14% increase over the £2.80 cover price last year – and a 54% increase over the £2.20 charged in 2009 when Santa Claus last appeared on the cover.
"Radio Times readers are used to paying double the usual price for the Christmas double issue," said Kathy Day, publishing director of the Radio Times. "We go to great lengths to make the magazine worth every penny."
The Christmas issue will have a print run of almost 2.5m copies, up from the normal 900,000, with 294 pages (usually 150 to 160 pages).
A total of 48 pages of advertising have been booked, up on the 40 from last year, which will bring in well over £2m in revenue.
Including sales income the Christmas edition can expect to make about £7.5m in revenue.
British Gas has snapped up the premium advertising slot – the three-page front and back cover gatefold – for the fifth year running.
It is thought to be worth as much as £200,000, about the same as a 30-second TV ad in a semi final or final of ITV's The X Factor.
Radio Times said the furniture, retail and entertainment sectors have proved to be strong advertisers this year, with brands such as DFS, Disney, Cineworld, BSkyB and Universal Films on board.
New clients for this year include Glenlivet Whisky, LateRooms and MG Motors.
The launch of the Christmas edition will be backed with a TV ad campaign, by agency Creature London, which launches in Coronation Street on Tuesday night.
"We will be putting out 50% more pages than any other TV listings magazine title, and those pages will be packed with exclusive, insightful features, interviews and guidance and the best TV, radio and films listings package in the business," said Day.
Last year's Radio Times, which had The Snowman and the Snowdog on the front cover, sold 2.17m copies, up 3.4% on 2011.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@theguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. Reported by guardian.co.uk 22 hours ago.