In another blow to the print magazine industry Pacific Magazines has stated it will no longer print editions of prolific tabloid mag Famous, instead launching a website.

Famous magazine, which is well known for printing celebrity gossip, is one of several magazines published by Pacific Mags which has seen a recent drop in circulation.

Statistics from the latest Audited Media Association of Australia reported Famous print circulation fell by 25 per cent to only 45,096 in the last quarter of 2015.

Competing celebrity tabloid Who magazine, also published by Pacific Magazines, experienced a similar plunge in print distribution of 9 per cent.

Chief executive of Pacific Magazines Peter Zavecz says a complete shift from print to digital is a difficult task, but asserts a digital only platform is the best way to keep the title alive.

[Related: David Jones launching new print mag]

“The decision to cease publishing in print is never an easy one and we sincerely thank the Famous staff for their contribution to the brand,” says Zavecz.

“After much consideration, we feel that refocusing on a digital only model with FamousLive is the correct one.”

The publisher has confirmed 25 editorial staff will be affected by the print closure, and some 10 employees will be drafted to the replacement website which is set to produce online content of the magazine.

Famous was launched by Pacific Magazines ten years ago. Its readership dropped to 191,000 for the year ending December 2015 from 2014’s 246,000 according to data from Roy Morgan.

The announcement to cut Famous’ print runs comes shortly after Pacific stated it would be partnering with Yahoo 7 to expand its commercial digital focus.

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