History of Journalism Magazines from the 80s to the present day Steve Windsor

My life as a hack After school while working “gap year” as teacher had first article published in Angling magazine (now defunct). Went to Keele University and University of Georgia in USA. Sold two articles to Angling magazine. Worked on university student magazine (Sports Editor). Failed to get into Cardiff School of Journalism on MA course! Contacted emap and was lucky that they had vacancy. Was invited to interview.

My life as a hack II Joined Trout Fisherman as “Senior Writer” (1980). Was probably first journalist with a degree in emap’s P’boro offices. Won writing awards. Failed to get editor’s job (c.1984). Became Features Editor under new editor. Acting editor. Editor Practical Fishkeeping (1990); Managing Editor PFK and FKA.

Associate Publisher. General Manager. Managing Director (pets titles). Left Bauer 2008 after takeover.

A brief history of emap 1947: Began as local newspaper company (but sold these off to Johnston Press 1996). Launched and Angling Times 1953 and acquired Motor Cycle News (for £100) in 1956 – everything else spun off from there. Specialised in “hobby” consumer magazines and some trade related business-to business titles. Smash Hits launched Music, mens’, womens’ magazines in London. 1984: Exhibition arm and business magazines launched. Formed their own distribution company Frontline 1990 Joint venture with Bayard Press in France Radio Emap bought a small title called For Him Magazine, converted it into FHM and turned the men’s market upside down. Grabbed 10% of the French market with the acquisition of Edition Mondiale and Hersant. 1996: TV – bought The Box digital music channel. 1997: Red launched for ‘middle youth’ women 1998: Bought Petersen in USA

A brief history of emap II Bought the Face and Arena magazines FHM international title 2001: Sold American titles 2002: Heat reached 500,000 weekly sales. Closer launched 2004: Zoo launched – first weekly for men 2005: Grazia launched. Alun Cathcart joins emap Sold in two parts – b-to-b and consumer titles - in 2008 to Bauer for £1.14b. Once a ‘limited’ company - now owned by a German multi- billionaire. Bauer has magazines in 16 countries; Bauer has the old emap offices and magazines in Peterborough and London.

Emap/Bauer products Women’s: Closer, GRAZIA, heat, more!, Pop, Yours Men’s Entertainment: Empire, Kerrang!, Q, Mojo. Men’s Lifestyle: Arena. Arena Homme Plus, FHM, Zoo Equine: Your Horse Gardening: Garden Answers, Garden News Transport: Model Rail, Rail, Steam Railway Football: Match! Golf: Golf World, Today’s Golfer Pets: Pet Product Marketing, Practical Fishkeeping Angling: Angling Times, Improve your coarse fishing, Sea Angler, trout & Salmon, Trout Fisherman Motorcycling: Bike, Classic Bike, MCN, Performance Bikes, RiDE, What Bike?: Motoring: Car, Classic Cars, Land Rover Owner International, Max Power, Parker’s, Practical Classics Automotive B2B: AM, Fleet News Outdoor: Country Walking, Trail, Bird Watching Photography: Digital Photo, Practical Photography Lifestyle: Top Sante, Mother and Baby, Pregnancy & Birth

How magazines have changed and evolved Boom time years – what was right? Black and white Pages What colour did Specialist titles Lifestyle versus specialist The rise and fall and rise again of advertising The magazine as brand Staffing levels

Seminar items Lifestyle versus Specialist? Where did emap go wrong? London versus Peterborough Careers

BREAK

Recent years Most magazines are seeing declining sales. Only 10% of new magazines make it past the first few months. Magazines are closing (or amalgamating) almost every day. Magazines are operating with fewer and fewer staff. Journalists can no longer stand aloof from the commercial aspects of the job. Websites are getting better and better?

Growing problems Recession. Who retails magazines and why it’s changing. Shop bought or subscriptions? Hobbies – fewer participants/more choice? Reading is not listening or watching. Raw materials costs rising. Quality of information and exclusives.

The Web or “if only people would pay for the web all our troubles would be over”. The role of websites. Citizen journalism Fact or fiction

Today Why the journalist’s job has changed – the commercial factors. Magazine content and sales pressure. Knowing your readers. Spotting/predicting changes- speed. Taking budgets seriously – where the money comes from Why ad. managers and editors hate each other: Flatplans/reviews/a blame culture/the truth hurts…

Branding Many publishing houses now believe that it’s not enough to just be, to sell, a magazine. Brand extensions Shows and exhibitions (Sponsored) awards/product awards Spin offs, one-offs, bookazines, magazines. Selling branded products (What’s the problem with this?)

Launching There may be a gap in the market - but is there a market in the gap? There is a gap in the market for Toe Nail Collector monthly. There is NO market in the gap. There are around 3,000 magazine titles on the British market – and falling… (they generate around £1.7billion in shop revenue). Every year 1,000 magazines are proposed. Only 300 of these ever reach the newsstand; only 150 of these will last for a few years. (Comag)

Seminar topics Brand extensions? Webazines? Making money? Where next for magazines? Glamour versus a steady job? Market opportunities? How do we sell more magazines?