Cosmo big newsstand seller
By PAUL D. COLFORD, DAILY NEWS

Not since the legendary Helen Gurley Brown was editor - 10 years ago - has Cosmopolitan sustained such big sales on newsstands.
The magazine for the "fun fearless female" in search of "65 Ways to Love His Body" and similar insights had an average newsstand sale of more than 2 million copies in the second half of 2002 - for the second straight six-month period.

Under editor Kate White, who's made a gold brand relevant to a new generation of women, Cosmo's newsstand sale rose 5.5% from a year earlier, and total circ grew 9.3%, to 3.2 million, according to a report due from the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Al Pacino on the cover helped make Esquire's July issue the biggest seller in a second half when its newsstand sales increased by double-digits again, this time by 17.3%. Total circ was up 12.3%, to 740,000.

GQ gained 5.3% on newsstands as total circ, up 6%, exceeded 800,000.

Newsstand strength is evidence to ad buyers that a mag is clicking with its target readers.

Editor Glenda Bailey's Harper's Bazaar was up a sliver in total circ, but the fashion mag in an industry fishbowl gained 13.4% on newsstands, to 187,000.

InStyle's first report under managing editor Charla Lawhon was: total circ up 6.5%, to almost 1.7 million, and newsstand up 6.9%, nearing 1 million.

Real Simple's 20% newsstand jump and 32% growth overall raised circ to 1.1 million.

O: The Oprah Mag declined, but less than in early 2002. Its total of 2.26 million was more in line with the 2.1 million Hearst now promises advertisers with a view toward long-term growth.