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.
When a market researcher started an arts magazine from her house, sceptics warned it wouldn’t last two issues. Twenty years on, Jewish Renaissance has a tribe of subscribers by tapping into the universal desire to belong. Laura Silverman reports…
The Financial Times has announced the appointment of Matt Vella as editor of FTWeekend Magazine.
Our mediaOnmedia survey closes next week. Have you had your say?
With entry for this year’s AOP Awards now open, we grab 5 minutes with the co-chairs of the judging panel – Hayley Cochrane and Robin Shute – to get their take on the key digital trends and ask them for any tips on submitting award winning entries.
Gold Key Media were this week presented with the inaugural ‘Corporate Sponsor of The Year Award’ at the Project Wingman Awards Ceremony.
Future plc has released an analysis of post-lockdown purchasing power, revealing that Brits have amassed over £245bn in savings, with 25% of that expected to be spent soon after lockdown ends.
Signature Publishing is making significant advances in the sustainability of products by trialling their first plastic-free packaging for their collectable toy figurines.
More than 80% of UK-based consumers believe the country needs greater emphasis on self-care following the outbreak of Covid-19 – according to a major piece of research conducted by Hearst UK.
The Week Junior Science+Nature is launching a podcast called Mysteries of Science on 1 April. The first episode focuses on the Loch Ness Monster.
Bauer Media’s publishing and radio brands will air the show simultaneously on Wednesday, 31 March at 8pm.
PressReader has partnered with Qatar Airways to integrate its all-you-can-consume digital newspaper and magazine content with the airline’s Oryx One app.
The Atlantic joins PressReader and extends its reach around the globe through PressReader’s B2B distribution network.
The Writer has developed a new digital edition in collaboration with archiving specialists Exact Editions that is available for individual and institutional subscriptions.
The Board of Archant has announced that Lorna Willis has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer.
The first issue of Freelancer Magazine, an independent business and lifestyle title, is due to be launched on 26 April, following a Kickstarter campaign.
