Consumer magazines spent most of the past two decades managing decline. The more confident publishers have stopped doing that. Newsstand sales and print advertising are still shrinking, but well-made titles with loyal readers are raising cover prices and growing.
Scale matters less than it did. Bauer has made Grazia a more premium product and charged more for it, while independents such as Anthem have put print back at the centre of the business and grown their export sales. Stylist has changed format several times without losing its readers. Others have gone the other way, and Gay Times dropped print entirely to build a global audience online.
For most consumer publishers, print is our USP. It’s the anchor that makes advertisers trust us and the very thing that readers want from us.
Jon Bickley Our print strategy: Anthem
Behind the confidence sits some hard arithmetic. Newstrade is now a small share of revenue and events and ecommerce are growing from a low base. Trust has become a selling point as AI fills the web with content of uncertain origin, but the paid-for consumer model that works at scale is still being worked out.
Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on consumer magazines, from premium print and cover pricing to brand extensions, membership and the future of specialist titles, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.
For a while now, magazine publishers have been on the defensive, unsure about the viability of their traditional business model in a fast-changing world. Katie Vanneck-Smith wants to change all that.
We asked Tamar Riley, portfolio managing director at Immediate, what does best practice publishing look like in consumer media? This is what she said…
For premium titles like Grazia, Mojo and Empire, growth is increasingly coming not from extending reach but from deepening engagement with existing passionate audiences, as Lauren Holleyoake tells Ciar Byrne.
The printed magazine will be a cherished part of people’s lives for years to come, says Jon Bickley, co-founder and CEO. That is why it’s the key component in Anthem’s publishing strategy.
With the arrival of AI and the widespread availability of unattributable content, specialist publishers need to ensure that their titles are the trusted go-to brands in their sectors, Our Media’s Andy Marshall tells Ciar Byrne.
Stylist’s mission has been clear from day one: to engage with its female audience in an intelligent, positive and non-exploitative way. 16 years on, and current PPA Media Brand of the Year, they are staying true to those values, says Lisa Smosarski.
Gay Times was stuck in a rut, tied to its traditional publishing model and reaching only a small part of the LGBTQ+ community. Under the editorship of Lewis Corner, that began to change, as he explains to Ciar Byrne.
Whatever the rest of 2024 holds, two things are certain. Firstly, the bumpy economic ride will continue. Secondly, the need for media companies to have a broad base of revenue streams has never been more important or more challenging to achieve.
How do you create a specialist consumer media business that is fit for the future? What steps do you need to take to be resilient and flexible as audiences and technology evolve? Carolyn Morgan researched 20 innovators from across Europe to find out.
For many publishers, circulation is all about chasing volume, but they would be much better off chasing profitability, says Natalie Smith, client relationship manager at Warners.
The Professional Publishers Association (PPA) has announced that Air Business, a global mail, fulfilment, distribution and subscription management company, will continue as PPA strategic partner for 2023.
Warners have announced that Campervan magazine has been given a new look for 2023 to inspire readers to enjoy vanlife.
Media Voices have revealed the shortlist for the fourth year of the Publisher Podcast Awards.
A listener-wide study conducted by FD Mediagroep in conjunction with BNR and Brand Metrics reveals the brand impact of radio, livestream, and podcasts.
Global science and technology brand to drive deeper engagement between clients and its audience.
Future Publishing has announced it has strengthened its position within home interest with the acquisition of gardening title, Gardening Know How.
TMX, the home of trials and motocross for 45 years, will be re-launched this Spring following the acquisition of the rights to the title and website by WW Magazines from previous owners National World.
Bishops Printers has announced it is investing in a new print press and laminator.
The collaboration between GumGum and Cedara accelerates decarbonization, and sustainability commitments for the contextual intelligence platform.
BOSE and NME have announced a showcase which sees the revival of iconic c-series mixtape presenting the future of music.
Future plc, a global platform for specialist media, has announced a trading update covering the four-month period ended 31 January 2023.
Atex has signed a partnership with Froomle to enhance personalisation on digital publishing.
After almost 15 years at HELLO! magazine, as editor and editor in chief, Rosie Nixon starts a new chapter at HELLO! as creative brand ambassador.
Clock has announced the appointment of Patrick Mulford as CEO.
Nada Arnot has been named executive vice president of marketing for The Economist to help drive market presence and global subscription growth.
