History of music Industries

and Institutions 1. What types of magazine and target audiences has IPC been associated with over the

years?

The publishing company has published a variety of different magazine types, but they all fall

under, near enough, the same category: outdoor activities. The company published magazines

like yachting monthly, cage birds, motor boat and golf monthly.

In the first few decades of the company, it started publishing magazines that were headlining

about the wars, so the target audience was mainly mature males.

From the 1900’s through to the 1940’s, IPC invested in more lifestyle/hobby based magazines

that were targeted at the mature audience that had a disposable income. An example of a

magazine would be the golf monthly magazine, as this would entail the players to be a

member of a golf club. This means they would need to pay a certain amount every

month/year for the privilege of playing golf and this is why the target audience needs a

disposable income. These magazines are targeted at the niche market, because the target

audience is a small proportion of people compared to the rest of the market.

However, starting around the 1920’s, the publishing company saw more female magazines,

broadening their target audience. A few examples would be ideal home and homes and

gardens. These magazines are specifically aimed at women, because around that time, women

were only seen as housewives and the men went out and put the food on the table.

Progressing through to the late 1940’s, the company invested in more strongly into female

magazines, as they gave a lot towards the country around the second world war and many

magazines printed, has images of women on the front cover which are now deemed to be

classic works of art.

Most of the magazines that were publicised to this point were targeting the niche market,

however, around the 1950’s we began to see a drastic change, after the debut of the new

music magazine, NME. This was first published in 1952 and was the first music magazine to

appear in the industry. Following NME’s debut, the channel ITV started airing on our

televisions and saw the arrival of the new magazine TVTimes.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s the company continued to publish new genres of magazines including

sport, for example Shoot!

The next major change was in 1991, when the TV listing market makes a debut with the

magazine, what’s on TV. This became a major best seller beating its fellow competitors. More

men’s and women’s magazines were also introduced into the market, including loaded and

now.

In the new millennium, the IPC magazine company changed its name to IPC media to give the

company a new identity to fit their aim to become a brand-centric business. The next major

best seller came from the company ignite! As they released a new men’s weekly magazine

nuts and in 2005, the magazines pick me up and TV easy also hit the markets and made a lot of

money.

2. Why might IPC be an appropriate publisher for a new magazine?

IPC would be a good company because it has published for a lot of magazines that made their

debut which later on became a huge success with the target audience. A few examples are

NME, Whats on TV and TVTimes.

3. What sorts of genres of music/types of magazines might they like to publish?

The company likes to publish magazines that target the niche market, magazines that are very

specific in what they cover in their content. For example, some of the magazines include Golf

Weekly, Yachting Monthly and Motor Boats. These magazines are mainly targeted at mature

adults. However, some of the other magazines are targeted at the more mainstream

audiences like NME and Now.

4. Why might alternate publishers like Bauer be appropriate?

“With more than 570 newspapers, over 300 digital products, and 50 radio and TV stations, the

Bauer Media Group reaches millions of people across the world. The Group’s turnover is stable

at over two billion euros.

”The company has become very diverse as it caters not only for magazine companies, but

radio stations and TV stations as well. This could mean that if some radio stations or TV

stations were to launch a new magazine, then they would more likely get it published from the

Bauer Company as it already has business with it.

Bauer also has different projects and research going on like project phoenix IV and 4D men.

These two project’s research into these niche markets and gather more information about

them in order to appropriately advertise and market the associated magazines. Project

Phoenix IV concentrates on music trends and how people are influenced to listen to certain

types of music due to the people around them. 4D men “throw new light on men’s

motivations, needs and pressures today.”