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.
Bloomberg Businessweek has announced that it will publish a series of special reports on leading industrial countries, providing unique insight into the role today’s foremost countries play in the wider global economy.
UPM is engaged in discussions with Myllykoski Group concerning a potential transaction.
As part of the review of IPC Media’s niche and specialist titles, the company has announced the sale of Cage & Aviary Birds to Kelsey Publishing.
Future, the special-interest media group, has announced that Simon Wear has decided to step down from his role as Chief Operating Officer for its UK business, with immediate effect.
Guitar World celebrates the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin III with a special 3D feature.
The National Magazine Company has awarded Polestar Colchester a two year contract for the print and subscription mailing of Best magazine.
The November issue of Bauer Media’s music monthly Q marks what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday (b.9th October 1940).
The British Society of Magazine Editors has published its shortlist for the 2010 awards.
Elected, a new magazine sharing best practice and innovation for all elected politicians, was launched last Tuesday by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles MP.
Recently re-launched River announces new additions to their team.
Editor and publisher Robyn Bechelet has added another Archant division to her portfolio with her new role as Group Publisher at Archant Dialogue.
One of the UKs largest independent customer publisher, River, who turns sweet 16 this year, recently celebrated a brand re-launch at an intimate gathering for staff and special guests at their offices at No 1 Neal Street, Covent Garden.
YUDU Media has unveiled what it claims is the first iPad subscriptions solution, the “only real solution available to publishers looking to sell multiple time-sensitive titles”.
International car manufacturer Kia Motors has appointed PSP Rare to produce a magazine for fleet decision makers in the UK.
Exhibition organiser Emap has signed an agreement with video technology and production specialist Video Direct to help it build, promote and distribute video content across its exhibition websites.
