Magazines

For all chapters

• Major technological innovations and their significance. How does innovation alter the industries and society?

• Relationship between the industry and the government. What specific actions does the government take to help and/or regulate the industry?

• Relationship between the industry, its messages and products, and social values. What are some of the ethical concerns?

• Relationship between the industry and the audience. How does the industry react to audience concerns? How does the audience react to media?

• How does the business environment influence the industry.• Use industry-specific terminology.

Main questions - magazines

• How does the evolution of magazines exemplify the changing conception of the audience?

• How does the evolution of magazines reflect changing technologies, and changing governmental priorities?

• What are the main concerns that people have about magazines and their content?

Magazines and audiences

• The audience: – Originally, group of people who receive(d)

mass media messages (undifferentiated).– Mass media audiences only possible after

technology creates means to mass disseminate content.

– Mass media audience(s) are dispersed.

Criticisms

• Is everyone part of the audience?

• Is the audience homogeneous? – Audience, or audience(s)

• Does the audience change over time?

Audience segmentation

• When mass audiences are divided into smaller segments.

• Consequence of competition. – Highly competitive markets = more

segmentation.

Criteria for segmentation

• Media use (television, radio, magazine)

• Social characteristics– Age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, income,

place of residence.

• Needs– Information, entertainment, general

interest, hobbies, etc.

Magazine industries today

• Consumer, trade and public relations magazines dominate.

• Issues:– Integrating digital technology– Images, distortion of reality.– Hyper-commercialism.– Environmental concerns (AdAge,

10/14/2008)

Top Magazines by gross revenue, 2007

$1,429

$1,034

$962

$732$696

$634

$620

$594

$550

$527

PeopleBH&GSports IllustratedTimeParadeGood HousekeepingNewsweekUS WeeklyReader's DigestCosmopolitan

Source: AdAge

Top Magazines by gross ad revenue, 2007

$980

$858

$684

$543$696

$528

$475

$310

$313$406

PeopleBH&GSports IllustratedTimeParadeGood HousekeepingNewsweekUS WeeklyReader's DigestCosmopolitan

Source: AdAge

Top Magazines by Ad Pages

3,889

2,051

2,113

2,160785

1,685

1,857

1,949

986

1,817

PeopleBH&GSports IllustratedTimeParadeGood HousekeepingNewsweekUS WeeklyReader's DigestCosmopolitan

Source: AdAge

Technology

• Revenues from digital/internet/wireless are increasing.– Median revenue share (2007) = 9.75%– MRS (2006) = 5%

• Digital gains make up for print losses.• New strategies:

– Expansion of reader-generated content (Business@work; Your Old House)