GENERIC RESEARCH - Variety Magazine

GENERIC RESEARCH - Entertainment Weekly

GENERIC RESEARCH - Hearst Magazines UK

From my research, I have learnt that Hearst Magazines UK:

-promotes positivity in their branding, therefore I will aim to represent this in my magazine 

-has a strong focus on building a relationship with their audience and therefore have writers and editors of the same demographic in order to provide entertainment and escapism (Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory). Therefore, in my product, I aim to strongly research my target audience and their needs in order to create a magazine that is shaped around them and this close relationship.

-has a strong digital and social equivalents of their magazine, suggesting that my product must understand that importance of technological convergence 

-both of the brands entertainment magazines provide a range of options for content and present this in an upbeat way with bright colours and positive images

BRIEF

INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT - history of magazines

History of Magazines

-usually a periodical publication

-generally published on a regular schedule with a variety of content

-financed by: advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions or a combination of the three

Types of magazines:

Consumer - most popular and common, thus targeted at a large and general population, catering to special interests

Trade and professional - target professionals working in business or trade, offering advice within a certain industry

In-House - printed for non-profit organisations and special interest groups, e.g. university periodicals and medical journals

Distribution and Circulation

-majority of print magazine distributors are owned or controlled by the big three: WH Smith, Menzies Distribution, Dawson News

-when a magazine is bought, the majority of the money goes to the distributor, not the magazine company itself

-publishing is turning away from traditional magazine distribution models as magazine circulation numbers dip, thus reflecting changing consumer trends

-more and more readers are getting their information from the internet and less from print publications

THEREFORE;

-magazines now have digital editions as well as print editions

-companies have apps for their magazines

-consumers can subscribe to print and/or digital packages

Contemporary Context

Types of entertainment magazine:

-celebrity lifestyle/gossip

-movie

-television

-music

-visual/audio

Top entertainment magazines:

Entertainment Weekly - celebrity, film and television news, with unique sections that recommend shows airing that week
People - celebrity lifestyle news and gossip about 'people you probably know'
Billboard - expert source for in-depth coverage of top artists in the music industry

Entertainment Magazine Codes and Conventions

GENERIC RESEARCH - Bauer Media