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.
No one doubts publishers’ creativity. The challenge publishers face is monetising that creativity in a world of hugely increased competition. As PCS’s Simon Weare tells James Evelegh, good & agile systems are a key enabler of successful publishing.
Tatler, Condé Nast’s premium title for people who don’t shop on the high street, is enjoying a new lease of life. Kate Slesinger tells Meg Carter why.
Everyone involved in subscriptions marketing tests stuff all the time, but are they doing it to best effect? Reneé Doegar has some top tips for getting the best out of your testing programme.
David Hepworth on magazines and beyond
Chris Spencer, better known as Coldwar Steve, has designed an exclusive cover for The Big Issue and spoken to the magazine about becoming the unlikely chronicler of the Brexit saga.
DC Thomson Media has acquired two of Scotland’s biggest commercial radio stations, Kingdom FM and Original 106.
TI Media has entered into consultation with staff on the proposed closure of Now magazine.
Anne-Marie Tomchak has been appointed Digital Director at British Vogue.
The Press Distribution Forum has announced a new approach to recording retailer complaints.
Empire has partnered with Picturehouse Cinemas to provide a curated series of screenings to celebrate brands’ 30th.
Foreign Affairs magazine has partnered with Exact Editions to bring its content to a larger academic audience.
Condé Nast International has announced the appointment of Jessica Peppel-Schulz as MD of Condé Nast Germany.
Future has appointed James Brown to the role of Editor-in-Chief for FourFourTwo, a football magazine and website.
Future has acquired Mobile Nations, a US-based digital publisher focused on consumer electronics.
Bauer Media is to raise awareness as part of Public Health England’s ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign.
