MEDIA > Elle Girl mag now only online

'ELLE GIRL' SHUTS PRINT EDITION, MOVES TO WEB ONLY.

Hachette Filipacchi President Jack Kliger Stresses Importance of Mobile Content.

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- After five years of publication, Elle Girl magazine is being shut down by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. and its president-CEO, Jack Kliger. But the brand will continue as a Web publication with mobile content and other platforms that Hachette feels are better suited to finding the title's target readers.

Redefining the strategy "After running this magazine for the past five years and continually doing research on the teen market, Jack is totally redefining the strategy," said Anne L. Janas, a Hachette spokeswoman. "The print magazine is closing down but there will be increased investment online and in wireless. He believes that's where he needs to direct the primary investment of the company."

Ms. Janas confirmed a report of Elle Girl's demise that appeared on FishbowlNY.com. She said Elle Girl will appear in print again in the form of two specials published by the division that also publishes Elle Accessories.

Performing well Unlike the other magazines put down on Tuesday -- American Media's Celebrity Living, Shape en Espanol and MPH -- Elle Girl had been performing well by the usual metrics. It increased ad pages 46.1% last year to total 749.3, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. It reported average paid circulation of 601,149 for the last half of 2005, up 17.9% from the last half of 2004, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

That would have seemed to indicate some vitality, especially when compared with others in the teen category. CosmoGirl and Seventeen, both from Hearst Magazines, grew ad pages by less than 4% last year, while Teen People from Time Inc. saw ad pages drop 4.6%. But Teen Vogue from Conde Nast Publications increased ad pages 27.8% last year and greatly expanded its circulation after acquiring YM in 2004 and taking over its mailing list.