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.
Attitude – an LGBTQ+ media brand – has announced the launch of Attitude Uncut, an all-new digital magazine that will be published six times a year between Attitude print issues.
Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett is taking over the Good Food app with her exclusive recipes for effortless festive entertaining.
Good Housekeeping UK has announced the launch of its new Kitchen app with thousands of triple-tested recipes.
Preciso launches its Ultima Ads AI-powered native advertising solution to the humanoid robotic sector at China Hi-Tech Fair.
Woman’s Weekly has set a Guinness World Record with 46,000+ knitted mice donated to rescue cats across the UK.
In this Q&A, Paul Hatch, group customer director at Air Business, answers James Evelegh's questions about how publishers can use AI to improve their customer services.
Harper’s Bazaar UK has announced the launch of its inaugural Power Dinner – a celebration of visionary women – with headline partner Irwin Mitchell.
The winners of the PPA Independent Publisher Awards were announced last Friday afternoon in London.
Historic car monthly The Automobile is now available for digital subscriptions for the first time.
The media, data & information company certifies on an international scale.
Pete Tyjas of Fly Culture to succeed Andrew Flitcroft as editor.5
The Government Communications Service (GCS) has become an official Gold Standard Advertiser Supporter, demonstrating the UK Government’s commitment to promoting a responsible, transparent and safe digital advertising ecosystem.
The issue launches a reimagined editorial identity spanning the entire brand ecosystem, introducing new video franchises and an Esquire Better Men event in collaboration with BOSS.
Future has announced that Michael Peralta is joining as chief revenue officer.
London’s IFS Cloud Cable Car and Time Out are teaming up to bring Cable Car-aoke to London this Christmas.
