Magazines:The Power of Words and Images

– Referencing Mass Communication: Living in a Media World Chapters 5 and 6Ralph E. Hanson

Early Magazines• What is a magazine?

A publication of lasting interest targeted at a specific audience. A collection of articles.

• 1704: Daniel Defoe founds The Review. Commonly considered the first magazine.

• Physically The Review looked like a newspaper but covered public policy, literature, and morals as well as news.

The Saturday Evening Post• First published in 1821• Contained essays, poetry, obituaries, and a

column called “The Ladies’ Friend”• First truly national medium• Post remained important until the coming of

television

Birth of Photojournalism

Birth of Photojournalism• Photographer Mathew Brady first became famous

for portraits, Civil War photography team.• By 1864, Harper’s Weekly was reproducing his

team’s photos.• Promoted idea that photographs could be published

documents preserving history.

Types of Magazines• Consumer magazines. Publications targeting an

audience of like-minded consumers• Trade magazines. Magazines published for

people who work in an industry or business• Literary magazines. Publications that focus on

serious essays and short fiction

The Muckrakers• Progressive investigative journalists writing

in the late 1800s, early 1900s• “Muckraking” was coined by Theodore

Roosevelt to describe socially activist investigative journalists.

The Muckrakers• Samuel S. McClure was a famous

muckraker who led a fight in early 1900s for business, social, and political reform.

• McClure’s. Reform-oriented muckraking magazine took on the insurance industry, railroads, urban problems, etc.

Advertising vs. Editorial Control• Conflict between advertising and editorial

departments.• Synergy or conflict of interest?

Magazines, models, and sponsors work together to match ads with stories about models and the products they endorse.

• Blurring of ads and editorial contentAds can be made to look like magazine content.

People Magazine Cover Rules• Young is better than old• Pretty is better than ugly• Rich is better than poor• Music is better than movies• Movies are better than television• Nothing is better than a dead celebrity

Current Trends in Magazine Publishing

• Targeting narrower audiences.• Presentation matters; layout and graphics critical.• Articles are short; short attention spans.• Cross-media synergy; using magazines to support

other channels of communication such as online efforts.