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.
This year, the Good Housekeeping Institute celebrates its centenary. Ciar Byrne visits the Institute and hears about their rigorous testing regimes and the changes afoot at the wider Good Housekeeping brand.
Readly has launched The Evening Standard Olympic Games Retro series.
The new Advertising Association report includes case studies of AI in action and a 12 point ‘Checklist for Responsible AI Adoption’.
Good Food has announced its first-ever product endorsement with Finish.
A product mindset puts the needs of the customer at the centre of the decision making process and a relentless focus on meeting those needs delivers a highly profitable publishing model, says IWSR CEO Julie Harris and 67 Bricks CTO David Leeming.
impact.com has unveiled a customisable customer referral solution that aims to help brands to build authentic trust with new audiences.
The Countryside Alliance has expanded its partnership with ESco to outsource membership management.
Spike is launching a complete digital archive in collaboration with Exact Editions, a development in restructuring the magazine’s subscription offerings.
According to the latest expenditure report, UK Advertising spend reached £9.2bn in Q1 2024.
Empire magazine has unveiled its first stop-motion animation digital cover for Laika’s upcoming film Wildwood.
Haymarket Media Group has published its inaugural Global Impact report, publicly showcasing progress, milestones and achievements since the launch of its redefined ESG agenda in 2023, as well as what’s to come.
ELLE Decoration has recreated the 1989 cover of its very first issue for its 35th Anniversary September issue.
Story House Egmont and Spin Master have announced an agreement to launch a Unicorn Academy magazine in the UK market.
Multilocal strengthens its leadership team by appointing Rachel Powney to lead global marketing.
Good Housekeeping Live and Country Living Christmas Market have announced they are to join forces for a 4-day event.
