Comparison Between National

And Regional Magazines

B Y L AY L A C A I R N S

National Magazines• National magazines have to retain a few valuable elements each time they

create an issue. They must always stick to their respective genre, whether that be music, film, sport, fashion or entertainment etc. Their content can vary in different forms such as, exclusive interviews, reviews, how- to guides etc. They try to include a wider range as possible as they are trying to appeal to people situated all over the country. They may have a target audience in mind or a specific age range but they are always looking to attract a bigger following. They often include taglines such as “UK’s best boy band!”, and “World Exclusive” to show the readers that the content is valuable not only nationally but internationally.

Regional Magazines• Regional magazines do share similar qualities to national magazines. Their

content for each issue must be attractive and interesting for the readers to want to read, they also do this by including various articles in the format of reviews and interviews, depending on the genre. However, their content must try to aim to be as regional as possible. This is due to the fact that their target audience are going to buy it so it informs and entertains them on information regarding their local area. If a regional magazine failed to do this then they could loose readers and their magazine will loose its purpose.

Key ComparisonsNational Magazines-• Their target audience is much wider, aiming to attract customers from all over the

country.• Their content can vary and be related to any part of the country.• Their magazines will be more well known as there is a higher chance people will of

heard of it.• Their magazine could also become more successful in a shortened time as they reach a

bigger audience.• They can get more promotions as they will be sold in different regions.Regional Magazines-• They have a smaller target audience as they specify to one singular region.• The content that they include must aim to be regionally specific.• Their magazines will be less known nationally as they don deliver in different regions.• It could take a much longer time for the same success as a national magazine, as people

who are interested in specific genre may already have an allegiance to another national magazine.

• Their promotion will be minimal and only in the selling region.

National Magazine Example• This magazine is free with a subscription to Vogue, which is £9 for 6 issues.• The front cover image is of Brooklyn Beckham, famously known as David and

Victoria Beckham’s oldest son. He has modelled for the likes of Mulberry, and is very famous in regards to the 12- 17 year old age range.

• The masthead Miss Vogue is bright and bold.• The headline is “Cozying up to Brooklyn Beckham”

which attracts the specific a target audience.• There is only one sub- headline, which reads “cool girl

style”.• There is a mix between a dark and light colour scheme.• The white colour on the font really makes it stand out from

the dark background.• Some adverts include perfume, jewelry and makeup.

Regional Magazine Example• The price of this magazine is £3.80 with a free interior

magazine inside.• The front cover image is very plain, with a scenic

photo of mountains.• There are around 15 sub- headings, and there is

no main story, however there is a prominent headline of “Your essential guide to life”.• The main colours used are red, black, green and

blue.• Adverts within the magazine include furniture,

watches, cars, business, and events.

Comparison• I have looked at two completely different magazines to see what is common and different about

them. I have chosen the national magazine Miss Vogue and the regional magazine Cumbria Life. One thing common between both magazines, is that they have quite strong front covers, and contain similar conventions. They both have strong mastheads, that are representing their magazine. This runs throughout the whole magazine and is a continuous feature that links each page and each article. They both also include sub- headings, dates, barcodes and a main image. The main image is a huge part of a magazine as this is what draws the audience’s eye. In the Cumbria Life issue, it features a beautiful, tranquil setting. This connotes Cumbria as quite a relaxing place, and also makes the viewer think this magazine will be an easy read. However, this is juxtaposed with the cover of Miss Vogue, which uses an image of a well known celebrity, that is very popular at this moment in

time, making viewers that are in interested in current affairs, want to buy it, and learn more about his life.

• Another aspect you can learn from the front covers, is the specific target audience they are aiming for. The regional magazine is aimed at an older reader, this may consist of walkers, gardeners, and farmers, as well as people that are visiting the area. This would typically be someone aged 60+, as they have more time to enjoy other things, as most people younger are occupied with jobs and families etc. This is compared with Teen Vogue who’s target audience is a lot younger, and typically females. This is because the magazine includes articles about fashion, make up, and celeb gossip.

• Therefore, although there is a large difference between the kinds of colour schemes, content and language, the layout and conventions used are quite similar. I need to take this into account when designing my own regional magazine.