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)