Task 4 & 5

Q Magazine The magazine that I have chosen to loosely

base my music magazine on is Q. I have looked at a range of their front covers, contents page, double page spreads and their target audience and history.

Front Covers

There are many media publishers that deal with the production of music magazines however, the main two are Bauer and IPC. I will be doing some research into these companies to decipher which one I want to publish my music magazine.

About BauerBauer is Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations. It is UK-based, consisting of many companies that centre around magazines and radio

They say that ‘Our business is built on influential media brands with millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners. Our strategy is to connect audiences with excellent content through our broad multi-touch point brand platforms, wherever and whenever and however they want. Our wide portfolio of influential brands gives us advantages over pure play magazine or radio competitors.’

Bauer’s brands consist of : Target Audience? Bauer’s target audience ranges from 16 years to 60 years+ depending on the type of magazine/TV channel and radio station. It includes both male and female interests to make sure it has a bigger audience to appeal to.

Bauer’s HistoryBauer’s magazine heritage goes back to 1953 with the launch of Angling Times and the acquisition in 1956 of Motor Cycle News, who are both still Iconic brands within Bauer’s portfolio.

Bauer started in the UK with the launch of Bella Magazine in 1987

1990 saw Bauer’s radio business come to light, with the achievement of Kiss 100, Radio City and the market leading Magic.

In 1994 Bauer bought a small magazine called For Him Magazine which has turned out to be the core of the best-selling international multi-platform brand FHM.

In 1996, the digital music TV channel ,The Box, was acquired by the company and has since grown and received a joint venture TV business with Channel 4.2002 saw the launch of Closer and Britain's first weekly glossy, Grazia which was launched in 2005. Today, Bauer Media spans over 80 influential brand names covering a diverse range of interests including heat – the must have weekly celebrity title, Parkers, MATCH!, CAR and Yours. For a full list our powerful brands, click here. Bauer Media is a sister company of H Bauer Publishing, publisher of the UK's biggest TV listings, Take a Break and Bella.

Bauer’s magazine covers

About IPCIPC is a Time Warner Company which creates contents for multiple platforms, across print, online, mobile, tablet and events. They engage with 26m UK adults ,almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men. The company say that ‘IPC Media is committed to working in partnership with its consumers, advertisers, business partners and employees to deliver exceptional value, service, innovation and creativity.’

IPC have three publishing divisions; IPC Connect, IPC Inspire and IPC Southbank. Alongside the publishing divisions is the IPC Advertising.

IPC brands consist of;

Target Audience?IPC have a range of target audiences, specific ones to go with specific magazines, radio stations and TV channels, the youngest being 17/18 year olds. It includes both male and female interests to make sure it appeals to a wider audience.

IPC’s History

In 1963 the companies Fleetway, Odhams, and Newnes were all combined by the creation of a "holding" company called the International Publishing Corporation (known informally as IPC). All of the existing companies would continue to exist, but as IPC subsidiaries.

1965 saw the reorganisation of the groups into six divisions:

IPC Newspapers — including The People and The Sun (soon sold), as well as the Daily Mirror and Sunday Pictorial

IPC Magazines — consumer magazines and comics

IPC Trade and Technical — specialist magazines (later known as IPC Business Press Ltd.)

IPC Books — all book publishing (headed by Paul Hamlyn, whose own company had been acquired by IPC).

IPC Printing — all non-newspaper printing operations (headed by Arnold Quick, whose own company had also been acquired by IPC).

IPC New Products — launching pad for products which used new technology (headed by Alistair McIntosh).

In April 2012 IPC Media received an award for Best Production Team of the Year at the Professional Publishers Association Production and Environment Awards 2012.

IPC’s magazine covers

After looking at both publishing companies I have decided that I would like IPC to publish my magazine. I have chosen this because even though Q’s publisher is Bauer, I feel as though that company already does a lot of music magazines and would create more competition for my magazine.

I have decided that I would like to do a music magazine on upcoming, unsigned bands, the possible genres for my music magazine are: Indie rock, Indie pop, alternative and rock. The possible names for my magazine are: unsigned, New Tunes, Discovered, Recent & Decent and Newfound.

The possible articles that could feature in my magazine are exclusive interviews with upcoming, unsigned bands/artists, how to get unsigned music heard and supporters of unsigned music.