Introduction to Magazines

What is the magazine industry…?

Yes it is… Type: Consumer (B2C) Price: £2.99 Frequency: Monthly Circulation: 214,483 (ABC Jul-Dec 07) Readership: 1,006,000 (NRS Jul-Dec 07) Launch Date: 1920 Median Age: 43 Target Market: ABC1 adults aged IPC Magazines

And it is also like this… Type: Internal (CSR) Price: Free Frequency: Quarterly Circulation: BP Staff worldwide Readership: BP Staff worldwide Launch Date: 2006 Median Age: n/a Target Market: BP Staff worldwide

And it is also like this… Grey Gosling Pfizer Pipeline Type: Online magazine (B2B) Price: Free Frequency: Daily Circulation: Pfizer customers in UK Readership: 7,000 Launch Date: 2005 Median Age: n/a Target Market: Pfizer customers in UK

Last example… Type: Consumer Men’s Magazine (B2C) Price: £3.50 Frequency: Monthly Circulation: 315,149 (ABC figures) Readership: 2..4 million (more than Loaded, Nuts and Maxim combined / NRS) Launch Date: 1998 Median Age: 26 Target Market: BC year old men

Just some areas of the magazine market (there are more…) Consumer magazines Business magazines Company magazines Men’sWomen’s TradeInterest CSR Internal comms.

Biggest selling US magazine?

Quick check on terms Circulation: how many copies are sold; measured by ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) Readership: how many people read the magazine; normally more than circulation, measured by NRS (national readership survey) B2B: business-to-business B2C: business-to-consumer CSR: corporate social responsibility Internal Comms: internal communications, how companies manage their messages to staff

Another key term: target market ABC / C1DE Social classifications Age 16-34s35-54s “Target Market” the market segment to which a particular product is marketed. It's often defined by age, gender, geography, and/or socio-economic grouping. It can consist of lists/reports that contains each ethnicity, ages, and gender, etc.., that effect the marketing of the product/services.” Source: Wikipedia

Target Markets…? VS.

Target markets ABC / C1DE Social classifications Age 16-34s35-54s

Target Markets…? VS.

The content…

How you would write for… women’s weeklies “We’re in a cyclical market, where the same stuff comes out again and again, so for us it’s all about reinvention – we’re totally dependent on finding new angles.” Elena Dalrymple, Editor, Mother and Baby “A good writer is actually very rare. They need to write to style, do very thorough research, get brilliant expert quotes, plus reader anecdotes that capture the essence of the feature, and deliver on time.” Claire Askew, Features Editor, Company

Women’s weeklies 82% of women read a magazine –Heat, Take a Break, Easy Living, Woman Total sales: 8 million magazines a month –New titles constantly launched First, news-led weekly for 30-somethings Pick Me Up, real life stories Women: £563m on magazines in 2004 A freelancer gets: £300 per 1,000 words Up to £750 per feature for big name mags

Content found inside… Lifestyle features First person stories Real-life tales Women’s fiction Case studies Specialist (psychology, extreme sports) Interviews

Opportunities “We want eyes and ears outside London. We can always do with people to knock on doors.” Julia Lawrence, Editor, Reveal Local and regional press as sources Personal contacts –You need a large contacts book –Not just celebs, but ‘real’ people with stories

Before you write… the strategy Build up your cuttings files –Write for free magazines, student mags, get work experience, online magazines etc… Do your research –Read the magazine you target thoroughly –Address the commissioning editor by name –Get the right copy deadlines: make it timely Monthly magazines work 4-months in advance Weeklies work 5-6 weeks in advance “If you spot a story, don’t hang around. By tomorrow, every agency and freelancer in the country could be onto it.” Julia Lawrence, Editor, Reveal

Summary… Wide range of different magazines Wide range of roles Hard work to get your dream job (but you can get it) Target market is critical to success Building a relationship Brand values The content…

Some resource areas Circulation and Marketing Info for mags: Periodical Publishing Assoc. Advertising Assoc. Audit Bureau of Circulation British Rate & Data

Some resource areas Contacts and Background British Soc. Of Mag Editors Sector Overview Ind. Media directory National Readership Survey Where to sell features…

Some resource areas Publishers National Magazines EMAP IPC Conde Nast DC Thompson Bauer