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.
Time Inc UK yesterday announced the sale of its Motoring brands to Kelsey Media. The deal sees Kelsey acquire VolksWorld, VolksWorld Camper & Bus and VWt, as well as the annual VolksWorld Show and VolksWorld Camper & Bus Show, with immediate effect.
Country Life magazine is the star of a new three-part BBC TV series, focusing on a year in the life of the weekly magazine. The first programme is broadcast on March 4 on BBC 2.
Following what it says was the success of its Bag-o-Fun one-shot girls’ colouring special, Redan Publishing is launching a regular title.
Nick Carvell has been promoted to the role of Associate Style Editor it was announced today by Dylan Jones, Editor of British GQ, with a remit across print and digital.
Time Inc UK Advertising has launched The Foundry, responsible for the delivery of innovative content-led marketing solutions for Time Inc UK’s commercial partners.
The Sunday Times’ Style magazine is releasing its biggest ever Spring Fashion Special this Sunday 28th February.
Neil Lovell has joined The Printing Charity as interim Chief Executive and Secretary.
ELLE Decoration UK is launching a style consultancy service aimed at commercial property developers.
The world’s longest running photography publication relaunches on 2 March with a new look and expanded editorial sections run across 50 percent extra pages.
Dennis Publishing has announced that performance car magazine evo will be launching in Korea next month with licensing partner Prinpia Co Ltd.
Glamour Turkey, the eighteenth edition of the magazine, debuted on newsstands yesterday, and the website is now live.
Dawson Media Direct has announced a major new addition to its roster of international offices with the opening last week of DMD Turkey.
The April issue of Wired features a 3D lenticular cover wrap to promote the launch of Sky Q.
The shortlist for the British Media Awards 2016, organised by Briefing Media, has been announced.
Woman’s Weekly has unveiled a commemorative souvenir issue The Queen at 90 as part of its classic series collection, celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday.
