Magazines in the Age of Specialization Chapter 4

“Cosmopolitan’s ability to reinvent itself repeatedly over the last 125 years testifies to the remarkable power of magazines as a mass medium to both adapt to and shape American society and culture.”

The Social and Cultural Role of Magazines Provided venues to discuss social issues Public education Abolition Women’s suffrage The Civil War More than 19,000 magazines published in U.S. Reflect and create what’s going on in American life

Early History of Magazines European origins Review, London, 1704 First political magazine Gentleman’s Magazine, London, 1731 First to use the term “magazine” Published reprints of articles from newspapers, books, political pamphlets

Colonial Magazines Magazines developed slowly Lack of widespread literacy Advanced printing technology Middle class First magazines launched, 1741 American Magazine (Andrew Bradford) General Magazine and Historical Chronicle (Ben Franklin)

United States, 1800s Specialized magazines Religious Literary periodicals Law and medical professions General-interest magazines created The Saturday Evening Post (1821 ) Women’s magazines appear Ladies’ Magazine (1828) Godey’s Lady’s Book

Magazines go national Changes in society aid magazine industry Increases in literacy and public education Improvements in printing, postal technology Advent of illustrations in magazines Magazines of note Graham’s Magazine (1840–58) Knickerbocker (1833–64) The Nation (1865–present) Youth’s Companion (1826–1929)

Modern American Magazines Distribution costs fall Postal Act of 1879 lowered postage rates By late 1800s, advertising soared Captured customers’ attention Built national marketplace Magazine circulation flourished

Muckrakers Teddy Roosevelt coins term in 1906 Early form of investigative reporting Leads to much-needed reforms: Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) Meat Inspection Act (1906) Increased government oversight of business Progressive income tax Direct election of U.S. senators

General-Interest Magazines Popular from 1920s to 1950s Investigative journalism and broad topics Photojournalism provides boost A visual advantage over radio

Successful General-Interest Magazines Saturday Evening Post First magazine to reach 2 million in circulation Reader’s Digest Most popular magazine in the world during 1980s Time Interpretive journalism using reporter-researcher teams Circulation of 2.6 million in late 2000s Life Oversized pictorial weekly Pass-along readership of more than 17 million

Decline of General-Interest Magazines Advertising money shifts to TV Production costs increase Postal rates increase New types of magazines are born TV Guide, 1953 Fills need for program listing People, 1974 Capitalizes on celebrity craze of TV culture

Types of Magazines Current trend toward highly specialized magazines Appeal to narrower audiences Guarantee advertisers can reach niche markets Groups defined by: Profession, lifestyle, gender, age, ethnic group Hobbies and special interests

Examples of Categories Men and women Playboy, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s Day Entertainment, leisure, sports Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, National Geographic Age-specific Highlights for Children, Ranger Rick, AARP The Magazine

Examples of Categories (cont.) Elite The New Yorker Minority Essence, The Advocate, Latina Trade Organic Matters, Coach and Bus Week, Variety Alternative In These Times, the Nation, the National Review Supermarket Tabloids The National Enquirer, Globe, Star

Online Magazines Internet allows magazines to extend or maintain reach when print becomes insufficient, too expensive. Popular Mechanics offers interactive tie-ins online. Some print magazines become online-only. Conversely, some cable networks publish print magazines to extend synergy. Some magazines are online-only from the start. Webzines Salon, Slate

Economics: Money In Advertisers Majority of consumer magazine revenue 50:50 ratio between ads and editorial content Strategies to retain advertisers (regional, split-run, demographic editions) Newsstand and subscription sales Renewals, evergreen subscriptions, controlled circulations

Economics: Money Out Content development Editorial staff, freelancers Production Machines, paper, layout and design Sales and marketing Manage the income stream from ads Distribution Subscriptions, postage

Chains dominate business Allow more funding Cuts costs with central production Some major examples: Condé Nast Time Inc. Hearst Corporation Meredith Corporation Rodale Press

Magazines in a Democratic Society Specialization means magazines no longer foster a national identity Impact of dependence on advertising Some publications view readers as consumers first Controversial content often purged to satisfy advertisers, corporations Magazines still inspire and contribute to democratic debate More magazines available than TV channels Magazines can unite dispersed groups Magazines have less deadline pressure than TV, newspapers