Chapter 9:

Magazines in the Age

of Specialization

Some guiding questions

What are the historical origins of the magazine?

What was the role of magazines in the early 20th century?

How have magazines changed in the Age of Specialization?

How is the magazine industry organized and structured today?

EARLY HISTORY OF MAGAZINES

The word “magazine” derives from French magasin, meaning storehouse or collection.

What is collected in today’s magazine? Articles, stories, images,

advertisements

17th-18th century magazines

In Europe, magazines served as channels for political commentary and persuasion. Defoe’s Review (1704-1713, London) Tatler, Spectator, Gentleman’s

MagazineHow did they differ from

newspapers?

MAGAZINES IN COLONIAL AMERICA

Primarily served politicians, the educated, and the merchant class

Most adults were illiterate at this time; thus, small circulation

Covered issues of taxation, federal power, Indian treaties, public education, colonialism

Some issues with early magazines

Most republished articles from other sources.

Often included poetry, political essays

Less timely than newspapers; often published on irregular schedule

Mailing expenses were formidableHigh publishing costs and small

circulations

19th century: beginnings of specialized magazines

Religious periodicals boasted large readerships.

Literary magazines Magazines targeting occupational

markets (farmers, teachers, lawyers, doctors).

Saturday Evening Post

Founded 1821, PhiladelphiaLongest-running magazine in U.S.

historyOriginal and republished articlesNews, poetry, essays, reviewsFirst magazine to appeal

directly to women.

Boom in magazine readership

Increases in literacyImprovements in rail

service enabled shipping600 magazines by 18505,000 magazines

launched, though most failed

Women’s magazines

Ladies’ Magazine (1828, Sarah Josepha Hale) merged with Godey’s Lady’s Book (1830-1898)

Played central role in educating working- and middle-class women

Other important periodicals

Graham’s Magazine (1840-1858)Knickerbocker (1833-1864)Nation (1865-present)Harper’s (1850-present)Youth’s Companion (1826-1929)

The Development of

Modern American Magazines

Large-circulation magazines

Postal Act of 1879: lowered shipping rates

Improved rail transportation for shipping

Improved printing presses and mass-production facilities

Resulted in lowered prices, making magazines more accessible to working classes

Magazine AdvertisingCompanies bought ad pages to

reach expanding market.Attracted consumer attention;

appeal to women consumersDevelopment of a national

marketplaceNew venues for selling consumer

goods department stores, supermarkets,

dimestores

Popular Magazines and Social Reform

Yellow Journalism: crusading for social reform on behalf of public good

emphasized sensational stories and included reports that exposed corruption (also dubbed muckraking)

E.g., against poor living and working conditions, unregulated medicines

Magazines provided greater depth of investigative coverage

PHOTOJOURNALISM

The use of photos to document the rhythms of daily life, breaking events

Photos as important as text

Gave magazines advantage over radio

Changed the way people view the world

BOOM IN GENERAL INTEREST MAGAZINES IN 1920S AND 1930S

Saturday Evening PostReaders DigestTimeLifeLook

Rise of TV GUIDE

Established 1953 by Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications.

Small format, supermarket sales strategyTapped into rise of TV in American cultureRegional editions tailored to local channelsBought out by Rupert Murdoch’s News

Corp, LTD in 1988; used to promote Fox TV

FALL OF WEEKLY, GENERAL- INTEREST PERIODICALS

Collier’s (1956)Woman’s Home

Companion (1956)Saturday Evening Post

(1969)Look (1971) Life (1972)

WHY?Expensive production costsChanging consumer tastesRising postal and

distribution costsFalling ad revenues Competition with TV for

advertiser dollars

Who survived?

Smaller formatsLower quality photosThose that relied on supermarket

sales rather than subscriptionsWomen’s magazines

THE AGE OF SPECIALIZATION

:From mass marketing

to niche marketing

Trend to specialized marketing

Need for small, discrete audiences that could be guaranteed to advertisers

Development of regional and demographic editions

Tailoring both content and ads to different demographic groups

DEMOGRAPHICS

Dividing consumers into categories based upon age, sex, socioeconomic class, occupation, geographic location, lifestyle interests, hobbies, religion, politics, etc.

What magazines do you read?

What is your demographic

profile?

FRAGMENTED MAGAZINE MARKET

Aimed at communities of readers who share values, interests, and social identity

Magazines organized around sports and leisure activities, travel and geography, lifestyle, age, race, ethnicity

Can you think of some examples?

Alternative forms of magazines

Supermarket tabloidsWebzinesGrassroots-published personal “zines”

Newsletters

THE MAGAZINE INDUSTRY:

ORGANIZATION AND ECONOMICS

Issues in magazine publishing

Production and technology

Editorial contentAdvertising and salesCirculation and

distribution

How do magazines serve a democratic

society?