Historical perspective of Magazines -- Four Modules
Magazines are superior to other media in the following ways:
(1) Magazines have much better opportunity than other media to be interpreters.
(2) The "why" is stressed over the "who, what, when and how."
(3) Magazines give a psychological advantage with their semi-permanence and covers.
(4) Magazines may aim at very specific target groups while other media usually must appeal to broader groups. Magazines' functions are to inform, to entertain, to bring events into focus and to interpret meaning.
(5) Participatory or interactive advertisements are popular in magazines.
The Magazine Formula
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Magazines in America date back to Feb. 13, 1741 when American Magazine first appeared, nearly 50 years after the first American newspaper.
The magazine lasted three issues. Although only 12 magazines existed at the beginning of the 19th century, nearly 100 existed by 1825, and by 1950 that number had grown to about 685.
For a more complete discussion of magazines in America, refer to a textbook on reserve in the library for COMM 1307 (Introduction to Mass Communication) The Media in Your Life, An Introduction to Mass Communication.
Categories of magazines
General interest
Most popular category during the 19th century, but publishers recognized the value of market segments and developed special interest publications. Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post and a few others dominated the magazine market.
Special Interest
These magazines developed after television stole advertisers away from general interest magazines in the 1950s. Life, Look, Coronet, Saturday Evening Post and others disappeared as general interest publications. Although they reappeared years later, many of them eventually passed on again.
Geography
National Geographic, Southern Living, Texas Monthly, New York are examples. These magazines target a specific niche and are successful advertisers.
Gender
Men's and women's magazines such as Playboy and GQ for men and Cosmopolitan and Harpers Bazaar for women. These women's magazines are quite different than the ones of the 40s and 50s such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens and Women's Home Companion.
Ethnic background
Ebony and Hispanic are two examples of this fast growing category.
Age
Sesame Street Magazine; Savvy; and AARP, once called Modern Maturity, appeal to children, teens and senior citizens. AARP is a publication of the American Association of Retired Persons.
Lifestyle
This type of magazine targets a niche interested in raising children, owning a home and the like such as Martha Stewart Living.
Occupation
Farm Journal, NurseWeek and Editor & Publisher are examples of this type of category.
Hobby or sport
Doll Reader, Art & Antiques, Golf and Game and Fish are examples.
Socioeconomic background
Fortune, and Atlantic Monthly aim at a higher socioeconomic target audience. The audience often is more intellectually inclined.
Application
Entertainment (TV Guide), surveillance (Time), decision making (Consumer Reports) are examples.
Ideology
Mother Jones targets liberals, and National Review targets conservatives.
Topic areas
Horse Illustrated, Cats & Kittens and other special interest publications are examples. This is a very large category targeting market segments. Each magazine strives to sell content and advertising to a specific segment of the total population that the publisher has selected as the target readership. The tastes of the target audience determine the nature of the magazine's offerings.
Demographic or Regional Editions of Magazines
Comparative advertising in newspapers and magazines
Updated Feb. 4, 2007
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