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.
If the secret of effective marketing and distribution is being where your prospective readers are, then don’t ignore Instagram. With 500 million users worldwide, there are opportunities aplenty for publishers, writes Amanda MacArthur.
Jim Foster on the world of ePublishing
From features assistant on Woman & Home magazine to editor of ShortList in six years is an amazing feat. Terri White, now editor-in-chief of Empire, shares some of the pivotal lessons she’s learned with Mary Hogarth along with her vision for the futu
There’s much to be said for simplicity. The Talks has a clear proposition, is executed brilliantly and eschews unnecessary bells and whistles. David Hicks wonders why larger publishers haven’t taken the hint.
Signature Publishing has been awarded ‘Partner of the Year’ by Hasbro, for their portfolio of Hasbro branded magazines.
Autocar has announced the appointment of Mark Tisshaw as its new Editor, starting with immediate effect.
FourFourTwo has announced multi-platform content partnerships in two new countries – The Netherlands (with Voetbal International) and Kenya (with Soka).
Marcus Rich, CEO of Time Inc UK, has been officially confirmed as the new Deputy Chairman of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA).
IPSO has launched a panel to offer journalists’ perspectives on IPSO’s work and wider industry issues.
DC Thomson has launched Scottish Caravans & Motorhomes magazine, describing it as the “definitive guide to touring in Scotland”.
House & Garden has announced the inaugural House & Garden Festival, taking place this summer as the magazine celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Headley, the 135-year old Kent based magazine printer, has been put up for sale.
JICWEBS – the independent body that defines best practice and standards for online ad trading in the UK – has announced the next stage in the move to tackle online ad fraud.
Immediate Media Co has announced a new home for sewists and quilters on TV and online: The Sewing Quarter.
Banipal, a leading publication on contemporary Arab culture and literature, has partnered with Exact Editions to launch its complete 19-year archive.
