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.
First published in 1923, the Radio Times is one of publishing’s mega-brands. Its award winning editor, Gill Hudson, has had a busy few months, presiding over a reaffirmingly healthy Christmas issue and collecting the award for best magazine cover of
Depending on the timing of your Christmas bash, you may have missed all the excitement surrounding the Hooper report. Ian Phillips gives his views on the report and also highlights some services he would like to see introduced by postal suppliers.
Customer publishing has been booming of late, but the recession puts more pressure on publishers to prove their value to clients and to continue to broaden their service offering into the digital arena. Here, the APA’s Julia Hutchison looks at the ch
There’s no point kidding ourselves that things will ever be the same again. Forget the recession; the media world has changed and magazine publishers need to have a root and branch rethink of their place in the media landscape. David Hepworth offers
Now that the dust has settled on Magazine Week, what is the final assessment? Jim Bilton, the project manager for Magazine Week 2008, reviews the event – its aims, its activities and its conclusions.
In the TV series American Idol, thousands of young contestants audition to a tough panel of three judges. The winner is promised fame and a lucrative recording contract. But, asks Peter Hobday, although the show has a massive worldwide audience, do t
British magazines have a long and successful track record in overseas markets, due in part to the widespread use of English, but also because of the breadth and quality of our product. Ros Shaylor looks at some of the key components of a successful e
Recessions have a habit of focussing the mind and concentrating resources, so that trends, evident before the recession hits, often accelerate during it. Karlene Lukovitz looks at what 2009 has in store for US consumer publishers.
We all know the theory of effective renewals copywriting. But what does it mean in practice? Here, subscriptions copywriter Andy Maslen provides a few real-world examples.
The PPA held its annual retail distribution event at Lords Cricket Ground on 21 October. Retail remains the largest route to market for UK consumer magazines, and the event brought together delegates from all elements of the supply chain. James Evele
Many publishers still run their print and online marketing completely separately – with no crossover. This is a wasted opportunity, because a consistent marketing message, repeated and reinforced through a second channel, will bring better results. A
In today’s straightened times, efficient and effective targeting of your marketing promotions is more vital than ever, and consumer data is a key driver of this. Anne Partanen and Leigh Smith demonstrate how intelligent use of this data can improve y
Publishers and retailers talk about the need for retail theatre. A bit of colour and a bit of pizzazz will bring the category to life, boost the brand and increase sales. Well, that’s the theory. The downside is that it takes a lot of work and doesn’
Karlene Lukovitz looks at how US publishers are using partnership marketing to bring in new subscribers.
Every summer, millions of our precious readers disappear off on holiday. Many of them head for the beaches of Greece and Cyprus to soak up the sun. Lolling on their sun loungers and clearly in need of something to read, this group of sun worshippers
