New York—Magazine launches in the first quarter dropped by almost half, to 27 from 52 a year earlier, according to data released by MediaFinder.com, an online database of U.S. and Canadian publications. The number of magazine closures in the quarter also declined, to nine from 12 a year earlier. Among b-to-b magazines, four titles were launched in the first quarter, including IR Quarterly, while eight titles debuted a year earlier, including Professional Yacht Broker, MediaFinder.com said. No b-to-b titles ceased publication in the most recent quarter. Last year, two titles closed in the first quarter, Pharmaceutical Representative and Heat Treating Progress. “In the first quarter of 2013, we are witnessing a significant decline in new magazine startups compared to the same period last year,” said Trish Hagood, president of MediaFinder.com, in a statement. “At the same time, it is interesting to see online publications such as Politico Pro produce print magazines.”