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.
Wallpaper*, the international design, fashion and lifestyle title, has partnered with The Level Group to launch its first major e-commerce business, selling high-end design and special edition items.
Egmont Publishing, the specialist children’s publisher, has announced the launch of Disney’s Star Wars Adventures magazine, focused on the Star Wars saga.
The Week has launched a bespoke, fully integrated content partnership for American Airline’s Going for Great campaign, highlighting the airline’s business class routes from London to New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX).
Uncut is introducing a new monthly magazine to its portfolio titled The History of Rock, focusing on the heritage of rock music.
Adestra, the email marketing software provider, this week announced the appointment of Ryan Phelan as its new vice president of marketing insights to develop its U.S. market strategy and drive growth.
Incisive Media launches Professional Pensions TV at Pensions and Benefits UK event.
DC Thomson has teamed up with Aardman to bring Morph, the “nation’s favourite clay character”, to The Beano.
Signature Publishing announces the launch of the Chuggington Magazine.
Global Media Hub has been accredited by the ABC as a Bulk Distribution Associate, demonstrating their ability to report and prove their distribution to industry agreed standards.
Signature Publishing teams up with V&S Entertainment to launch Girls Love Everything's Rosie magazine.
Future has announced the acquisition of Net Communities, an award-winning digital company that specialises in advertising solutions and publishing for a range of market leading, global media partners.
Guitarist, Future’s leading guitar magazine, announces the appointment of David Mead as their new Deputy Editor, and unveils a fresh new look to the magazine.
NME announces the latest stage in its evolution as an audience-first global media business.
Egmont Publishing creates global licensing and global content units for licensed books and magazines.
The Press Distribution Review Panel has announced the publication of 'PDC - Retail Notes of Guidance'. This document incorporates a number of changes to the complaints process which clarify and add to the commitments already made to the retailer.
