The future of

Magazines

By Alex Walker

Do magazines have a future both as a product and online?

Do magazines have a future both as a product and online? AlexWalker

I think that the future of magazines is very limited. As technology advances we are using less hardback

copies. For instance the introduction of ‘The Kindle’ has made reading more easy and takes up less

room. The Kindle holds up to 1,000 books and also is more portable. This could be the same principle for

magazines. Technology could come up with a device which you can buy magazines/ hold magazines which

uses the same principle of The Kindle. Magazines have websites but only with snippets from stories, snippets which will make us want to purchase the

magazine. In the future I believe that in order to make money, magazines will give us the option to purchase

the magazine and read it online.

“Online consumption of magazines should pick up, once the electronics industry develops a hand- held reader that is capable of downloading and displaying newspapers and magazines and that is embraced by consumers. But that development is still a few years

away.” – Philippe Hautrive president of business operations.

How have audience habits changed when consuming media?

How have audience habits changed when consuming media?

Audiences habits have changed when consuming media i.e. With most of the

population using the internet, we are able to access our media via Internet. The use of accessing media on the internet is that it’s free and you have freedom to access the

media whenever it suits you. The downfall for magazines industries is that if everyone is finding their media on the internet for free loss of money is being made. Magazines

depend on audiences purchasing the magazines and without that magazines will

slowly become extinct.

“Society has become more immediate, and this is reflected in both the news and TV broadcasting. Both are now more convenient for audiences as audiences can decide when, where and how to consume them. This has given audiences more

power, meaning that new and digital media has had a positive impact on audiences in relation to the news and TV broadcasting. However, producers of these products have been disadvantaged as they can no longer target the right

audience. With TV broadcasting, scheduling is no longer important to audience as new technology allows them to choose their own viewing times, so producers

cannot target the right audiences. Also, advertisers can no longer make sure that the right people are watching their adverts as audience watch at different times.” -

Rupert Murdoch

How are audience’s habits going to change the way in which magazines are consumed, produced, distributed today?

How are audience’s habits going to change the way in which magazines are consumed, produced, distributed today?

Audiences habits will change for example retail shops like WHSmith and Newsagents will have less products to

sell. This means distribution will decrease which means less trucks on

the road polluting the atmosphere which could be seen as an advantage. Furthermore less magazines means less paper being used which is also

good for the environment.

What has been the impact of this change on the magazine industry?

What has been the impact of this change on the magazine industry?

What do audiences think of magazines? (do they trust them? How do they use them? What do they like/dislike about them?)

What do audiences think of magazines?

Audiences think magazines give people an insight to peoples views and lets us get close and personal with our favourite celebrities. I believe humans are nosey and enjoy knowing what’s happening with

other people, I also believe we like to gossip. Magazines are designed to entertain us weather it’s

informing us on the latest music or it’s real life stories. Disadvantages of magazines have the

power to make a rumour become worldwide which may not be true. We as an audience sometimes

believe the rumour because they have distributed the magazine everywhere which makes us think

that they believe in the rumour too. I think that we as an audience should believe magazines as much

as we do.

Have circulation figures dropped/increased?

Have circulation figures dropped/increased?

The Guardian saw the second-biggest year on year drop in circulation of any national title in October, falling 16.6 per cent to 230,541, but the paper no longer includes

international sales in its monthly audience. A spokesperson said this means that in for October there

were 18,000 fewer Guardian and 19,000 fewer Observer sales compared to October 2010

Every other national daily newspaper was down year on year. Apart from the all the dailies were also down month

on month. Among the Sundays, the Daily Star Sunday was the best performing title with a 97.9 per cent rise in year on year

sales.The paper continues to benefit from the closure of the

News of the World in July, as does The People (up 58.1 per cent year on year to 804,126) and the Sunday Mirror

(up up 56.5 to 1,773,727).

What about the impact of advertising? (this is a fundamental aspect to the magazine industry…how will advertising influence its future?)

What about the impact of advertising?

Magazine adverts are seen on TV but in the future I believe that even adverts on

TV will seem in the past. With Facebook, Youtube and Twitter

becoming global sensations business have used these to advertise their businesses. Magazines will not be advertising their magazine but their websites where you can buy their

magazine on the internet.

Nme is run by Ipc media. Ipc media is a brand which runs magazines such as Sport, Tv guides, home, real life , photography & fashion. Ipc runs magazines for people with certain interests which are popular, this is the same for their magazine Nme. Nme tend to review music which is popular at the time which includes Pop, Pop Rock and Indie music. Celebrities which have been seen in NME are Lady Gaga, Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and Oasis. IPC has magazines which appeal to a wider audience and that’s why they produce magazines to accommodate them.

Metal Hammer is run by Future PLC. Future PLC run Guitar magazines for a certain

genre which is either rock or metal. Future PLC also runs Websites but they are also

metal or about guitars. Future PLC attract a different audience. Future PLCs audience

review non mainstream music, bands which aren’t popular in the

mainstream music culture.

Peoples opinions on why they listen to Metal music.

The difference between pop and metal.

If you compare NME to METAL HAMMER you can see a huge difference. For example the

adverts in METAL HAMMER are more based around the metal crowd will enjoy such a metal

clothing & the latest metal album. NME will have adverts for another clothing line which they will enjoy. Metal Hammer is seen as dark and tends

to be stocked with magazines for men. NME tends to have lighter colours and tends to be

nearer the bottom of the rack with more mainstream music magazines. NME interview singers or bands which are popular at the time and which everyone will know. Metal Hammer

interview singers and bands which are popular in the metal crowd but not in the mainstream crowd.

In your opinion what is the future of the magazine industry?

In your opinion what is the future of the magazine industry?

I believe that in the future there will be no magazines and everything will be

done via technology. I believe that this will happen due to people becoming more conscious of the environment. I think people will miss the physical use of holding a magazine or going out to

buy a magazine.