NEED TO KNOW FOR EXAMINATION!!!

Magazines are mostly produced by a few dominant companies the internet has taken over due to its inexpensive costs, easy distribution, etc. Publishing is a phenomenon of convergence, cross-media ownership and oligopoly (a small no of companies controlling a large market.) Descriptive analysis: Glossy Weekly, monthly, - bi annually Fiction and non-fiction varieties Mass or niche audiences Specific target audience usually

Analytical analysis: Need to understand what the conventions are can they be organised into genres and sub-genres? How is this related to the target audience? Who owns the magazines and publishes them? What is the relationship between editorial content and advertising in magazines? Funding: In the early days the cover price covered the costs and made a profit. Competition meant less sales therefore less profit and higher costs. Advertisers then began to cover the costs.

ETypes of Magazines: Business Trades Work related Hobbies Interests Consumer focused Entertainment based TV tie ins

Targeting an audience: Age Gender Occupation Interests Socio-economics groups Peoples occupations Economic status Education Background Socio-economic groups: A B C 1 C 2 D E upper middle, administrative or professional middle intermediate management

lower-middle supervisory, clerical, junior

mgmt skilled working class, skilled manual working class, semi- and unskilled manual pensioners, widows, casual and lowest grade work

Segmentation: We are clustered into 7 groups: Succeeders Aspirers Carers Achievers Radicals Traditionalists Underachievers Categorised by opinions and values: Traditionalist

 Modernist Hedonist Post-materialist Post-modernist Not just aimed at the young either as we grow older and live longer, we become more mobile, have more money and are healthier, the youngminded older person has evolved. Distribution Newsagents Supermarkets sales have increased and newsagent sales have decreased because of the decline in smoking and changes in shopping habits Subscription by direct mailing Bookstalls on stations Increase now in give-aways where advertising entirely covers costs Some publishers decline to supply mags to applicants who do not meet the specification regarding wealth, education or status. Colour supplements in newspapers Sunday Times added in 1962 Fleet Street derided it but within a year readership was up 600,000!

Contents Interviews Profiles (deeper and more wide-ranging that interviews) Multiple-interview features e.g. ask a number of high profile people to answer the same question

Descriptive features places, holidays, events etc Serialisations of stories Service features about gardening, cooking etc Consumer advice Gossip columns Reviews Competitions Readers offers Letters

Politics of the office

Infighting between the advertising and the editorial departments is frequent ads are seen as spoiling the run or look of a magazine or article, when a feature Is broken up by ads journalists get annoyed. Titles are marketed sales are independently audited so that prospective advertisers can be sure they are gearing towards the right market. Launching a new magazine Success depends on identifying a gap in the market by: Either hunch or market research The Face from Nick Logan came about as a result of a hunch, but usually market research will identify potential readership size, age, income, education and therefore potential advertising support. The Steps THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN STARTING UP A MAGAZINE usual = cheaper Choice of paper low grade = cheaper High quality = more expensive %age of pictures distribution by post lightweight is cheaper on stands it doesnt matter fixed costs premises staff paper Type (print) running depends on how many were printed and distributed binding carriage now produce a dummy scamp (an artists impression), a mockup or a proper dummy of several hundred copies Next mount a campaign to impress the distribution trade and advertisers Engage staff do a dry run lease premises, book TV advertising for the launch

The Cover Masthead Photos of celebs / models will link with feature article Colour photo bleeds to the edges i.e. no border Cover lines short phrases about the articles inside Flash or colour panels Straplines Puff a magazines unique claims: the first, the only, best etc A strong sense of both contents and outlook must be conveyed at a glance.

Can cause complaint! Stereotyping or casual and careless offence to minority groups, unethical behaviour, violation of privacy etc can all be complained about. Red analysis Bold, short, punchy (like the reader), top left corner in box, white word RED on rich red background, stands out on shelves where space is limited. Font distinctive like handwriting a sense of individuality yet an air of fun Sell lines superimposed on model but being in different colours dont block her out too much they are teasers Use of upper and lower case Midshot of model therefore we can see all of what shes wearing and thus the goods the magazine is dedicated to. Colour, some red like title but mostly neutral to emphasise the classic elegance and fashion.

Readers social conscience none the rich! How does the content show who the intended reader is? Feature articles in womens mags often comment by interviewer, detailed description of clothing, surroundings etc in mens mags interview is often taped and transcribed with little or no comment from interviewer men prefer this!

Message and values Female mags are dedicated to the ideal image of women who are: independent, sexy and appearance driven. Often depicted as tall, thin and blonde (a famous Body Shop ad once stated that there are only 8 women in the whole world like this and they are all top fashion models!) Male mags are aimed at men who: enjoy being lads, ogle women, drink, watch football and listen to loud music. They aim to be wild, witty and include interviews with the stars. Alternative mags can be a range of things. Can you figure what is attractive about Rip it Up? Q How do magazines vary and accordingly attract an audience? Quality of paper Size of print Print type / font Size of paper Design and layout of image Cover lines Style of model image

Magazines variously inflect the image to convey their respective styles: Domestic or girl about town Cheeky or staid Upmarket or down Hairstyle Neckline Facial pose

Advertising facts Magazines are joint 3rd after TV and local papers and with national newspapers in terms of money spent on advertising.

Mode of address manner, tone and attitude of speaking to reader e.g. matey, friendly, informative, avuncular Audience profiles: market research has always enabled advertisers to know their target audience but now club cards ensure greatest accuracy of information about what consumers buy. Aspirations it is part of societys shared values to produce and consume more material goods and wealth. (Buddhist or Islamic societies prioritise spiritual growth and benefits.) Criticism: consumerism: many people criticise our desperate consumerism and compare glossy mags images with the pictures of starving in Africa etc. How can we support this dichotomy or hypocrisy? What does this say about the values of our society? Do we just accept the status quo? The commonest value message in ads is, If you have one of these you will be in with the incrowd, or you will feel much better if youve got it. Production Values The adverts are the high point in terms of gloss, colour, glamour and technical skills. Articles and ads compete for the readers eye. Strap-lines in womens mags have to offer some benefit, selfishness is the key. Cover photographs Marjorie Ferguson identified 4 types of facial expression: Super-smiler confident, assertive, big smile = the hard sell Invitational mouth may be shut, hint of a smile, eyes emphasised more mysterious, maybe tilted or looking back over shoulder = the soft sell. Chocolate box smiling but only a glimpse of her teeth or may have mouth closed expression non-specific = the uniformity of feature and beauty (like a work of art) Romantic or sexual the overt come-on promises sex and is usually directed at the single male or more sensual dreamy look which only hints at availability.

The magazine article

The intro purpose is to capture attention how? The question posed to readersdo you want tolose a stone, drop a dress size Anecdote The quote The action/ adventure- always starts with the high point. The description The summary intro Shock horror intro uses sensational info to get reader to read on.

Some theorists! Wolf: The relationship between the magazine and the reader is emotional, confiding, defensive, unequal. So the reader trusts the ads as much as the editorial. Adverts blur the line so that advertisers can demand particular placing of the ad in specific places. McCracken: If a beauty columnist recommends a certain product the reader will feel more confident buying it Promotions are hidden as editorial material. Tina Gaudoin: Editors are not in charge of the magazine it is the men in grey suits (the money men.)