Chapter 1. LaunchPad for Media and Culture 11e
Best Practices in the Magazine Industry
Author Names:
Christopher R. Martin and Bettina Fabos
Activity Objective:
Students will use the critical process to analyze, interpret, and evaluate the digital turn of the magazine industry.
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Description
How can we best understand best practices in leading magazines?
Look at the latest Top Ten lists compiled by the Association of Magazine Media (MPA) (http://www.magazine.org/magazine-media-360/top-ten-lists). The magazine industry used to rank magazines by print circulation (and AARP The Magazine has long been at the top). Now, as magazines are consumed on multiple media platforms, print circulation alone isn’t a prized metric.
The recent magazines are ranked according to their average monthly audience and their average monthly audience growth percentage, and tables are organized in four different categories: Print+Digital, Web (Desktop), Mobile, and Video. Visit the top magazines (online) and consider their digital offerings within the various categories.
Analysis
Analysis: Consider the patterns. What kinds of magazines are leading in the Print+Digital category? Which magazines are excelling in Mobile, and which ones are shining in Video? Consider analyzing these magazine categories across multiple years. What commonalities and differences do you find? What did you notice about the advertising? Which magazines are doing well (in the Top 10) across all platforms?
Record your thoughts in the box below.
Interpretation
Interpretation: What do the various formats of digital magazine content say about the magazines' audiences? What kind of content is especially riveting on mobile phones, and why? What, if anything, surprised you about the leading magazine brands and their efforts to gain as many viewers to their content (and ads) as possible? Why might some magazines (like ESPN The Magazine) have such strong video offerings, but Sports Illustrated doesn't make the Top 10 in that category? How did Allrecipes.com become so big without a print edition?
Record your thoughts in the box below.
Evaluation
Evaluation: What can you say about magazines and the digital turn? If you were interested in magazine publishing, on which platforms would you launch your magazine?
Record your thoughts in the box below.