Magazines still have a future despite increased online media consumption for three key reasons:
1) Consumers still tend to trust magazines more than online sources of information.
2) While digital media is more instantly accessible, many consumers still prefer tangible printed copies of magazines.
3) As long as magazine companies provide both print and online content, they can target a wider audience across media.
2. Do they have a future both as a product, as well as online??
Yes...
Because
- Even though there is an increase in
online activity, where people get the latest news
instantly …
-Consumers and readers tend to trust
Magazines more in general
However, if magazine - Circulation revenue is up
companies have both Source: BusinessWeek, 15th May, 2009
online content and a solid
copy, then they will target - People like having a solid
a wider audience copy, rather than pixelated content
3. How have audience habits changed when consuming the media?
Teens spend approx. 31 hours a
week online, where there are lots
of instant celeb
gossip, news, fashion blogs
etc, which are all free
More than a half of teens have more than
one computer at home, so it’s easier to
access , than going down to the shops to
buy a magazine
More and new social networks that are constantly
evolving all the time to keep up with the numerous
demand
- Twitter - Tumblr
- Facebook - Blogger
5. What has been the impact of this change on the magazine
industry (production, exhibition, distribution and consumption)?
Traditional media is more
of a threat than ever…
TV
-Increasing number of TV
Books
channels, where all tastes are available at the
- Huge increase in
same time
teenage reading – Harry Potter
- More teens have TV’s in their
rooms, so they are more likely to watch TV
Books compete with magazines
than read a magazine
for quite time
Newspapers
- Increased coverage of
celebrities
- Rise of free daily
newspapers and access to parents
papers - so there’s a higher impact
than figures suggest
6. Online magazines
- Sugar Magazine launched ‘sugarscape’ in December, 2007 to
target the online teen market
Its content is bright, fun, eye-catching and
interactive, which appeals to the teen audience
7. However, the response to teen magazines in general is still widely muted
Many have little or even no online
presence
And some of the information and
articles are very basic and repetitive
8. How are audience’s habits going to change the way in which magazines
are consumed, produced, distributed today?
If consumers spend more time on the
internet, then magazines will try to adapt and add
online content to their magazine, such as
Company, who have told readers to install an app
called zapper, which allows the reader to view
videos when looking at certain images.
Also, if consumers become more
internet orientated then there will be
less interest in magazines
9. What do audiences think of magazines? (do they trust them? How do they use
them? What do they like/dislike about them?)
However, some people don’t
Audiences tend to trust magazines as they are
like magazines, because
well known names, and so would buy most
products advertised in them.
- Too much gossip
So magazines could use this information and
- Not fully rounded, some
boost advertisements from sponsors to make
people think that
more money
magazines focus on one
area too much
Also, magazines tend to be in waiting rooms, such - Too many advertisements
as doctors, optician's, dentists, orthodontists, hair
dressers and even some libraries, so they are
mainly used and read when waiting. This means
that companies could perhaps sell to these
institutions to raise consumption
10. Have circulation figures dropped/increased?
Yes, considerably, by 60%
Went down from 41.2 million in
2002, to 15.5 million in 2009
This is probably because of fewer titles and
circulation in magazines has decreased
11. However, adult men and women magazine sales have increased
– despite the same challenges
And so have teen magazines –
82% of girls aged 11-19 buy a
magazines at least once a month (1/3) buy a magazine
weekly
Top of the Pops circulation has been increasing since 2002
AND magazines like Grazia, if it wants or needs to increase
circulation, will run editorials that appeal to the mass markets.
However, this could cause the magazine to loose more of its
‘luxurious designers’ – The Guardian
12. What about the impact of advertising? (this is a fundamental aspect to the magazine
industry…how will advertising influence its future?)
Free magazines heavily rely on advertising as it’s the
primary source of income, so if advertisers decide to
focus on key titles, like Vogue, ELLE etc, then these
magazines will more than likely die out
But, magazines are very important to
advertising companies as a number of studies
show that consumers are more likely to find
magazine advertising acceptable and enjoyable
compared to other mediums
Also, other studies
have shown that
consumers pay more
attention to magazine
adverts than ones on
the TV or radio, thus
impacting on product
sales
13. So we know that magazines are an
important form of advertisement, but
how does this help magazine companies?
Well, companies will be more willing to advertise
in magazines than on the internet as they know
how well magazine adverts sell their products, so
they will continually invest in magazines, thus
making the magazine business stable.
14. In your opinion what is the future of the magazine industry?
Personally, I think that despite the decline in sales of magazines and a huge
increase in the use of internet, there is still a future for magazines as we
never really completely replace old technology; instead we find another
purpose or use and make it evolve to survive, as kindle’s haven’t replaced
books, photo’s haven’t fully replaced paintings – impressionism, cubism and
surrealism instead came out of the wood work to give a completely new
look on paintings