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.
Piano, the software company behind a content monetisation and audience platform used by a number of global publishers, announced that Bas Nawijn has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Sales, Europe.
The IAB UK commissioned a meta-analysis report in an effort to understand the level of effectiveness of digital display advertising campaigns.
Royal Botanic Gardens is launching the full digital archive of its official magazine Kew.
Cosmopolitan has announced the return of Self Made Summit, with Tinder confirmed as headline sponsor.
The Royal Society of Biology is launching a digital edition of its official magazine The Biologist, including an archive of 40 back issues dating back to 2012.
James Evelegh's editorial from this week's edition of InPubWeekly.
John Bardsley, managing director of Intermedia Brand Marketing, answers our questions about his life in publishing.
The Big Issue Group has announced the appointment of Ben Sullivan as its new Digital Editor.
IAB UK yesterday launched a refreshed brand identity as well as a new website featuring a range of functions designed to improve access to key information, making it easier for users to find what they want, more quickly.
DC Thomson Media has announced Stuart Johnstone as Editor of My Weekly.
The Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design is now offering an MA in Fashion Media Practice validated by the University of Buckingham.
Yesterday morning, Porter’s Editor-in-Chief, Lucy Yeomans and VP Media & Publishing, Tess Macleod-Smith hosted a breakfast celebrating the launch of a website for the brand, Porter Digital.
Esquire, Hearst’s luxury men’s magazine brand, has announced the launch of Self-Made, its inaugural one-day summit aimed at inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and those determined to advance in their careers, in partnership with Mercedes-
Free distribution and brand to hand are growth areas for publishers. It drives awareness and increases ABC countable circulation. Good planning is key for a successful campaign. Marketforce’s Alan Edwards has five top tips for ensuring success.
James Evelegh's editorial from this week's edition of InPubWeekly.
