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.
The biggest puzzle for publishers today is where to find audiences and how to keep them. How to meet this challenge was the focus of the latest AOP CRUNCH event, writes AOP’s Richard Reeves.
TIME to host its first TIME100 Sports Gala on July 16 in New York City.
Good Health by Good Food explores ultra-processed food, sleep, gut health, supplements, menopause and more.
Immediate Media has been pursuing a twin track sustainability approach with its children’s magazines, reducing the carbon footprint of the product itself and encouraging greater awareness of green issues in its young audience.
The National Year of Reading is a great opportunity, says FIPP Executive Director Alastair Lewis, to introduce younger generations to the safe, trusted and enriching content of magazines.
Publishers have proven expertise in putting on events for their own audiences but Immediate Media has ambitions to deploy their expertise more widely. Ciar Byrne speaks to Rob Hunt, who is at the helm of IX, their new dedicated experiential agency.
In the face of AI disruption, one thing publishers can do to differentiate themselves from the bots, is by creating a sense of community. Phil Clark looks at the way various publishers are approaching the task.
Are you happy with your printer? The Financial Times’ Janet White is happy with Roularta Printing, the Belgium based printer who prints the FT’s portfolio of magazines, including for its UK distribution.
Esquire Singapore resorted to desperate measures when their star interviewee failed to turn up, reports Dickon Ross.
Olive launches new Travel & Taste Awards celebrating some of the world’s best food-first travel experiences and destinations.
Harry Kane guest edits BBC Match of the Day Magazine for a World Cup special edition.
The Economist Group last week announced that Lara Boro will be stepping down after seven years as CEO, with Luke Bradley-Jones appointed as the new Group CEO, starting on August 1st.
Bloomberg has announced the launch of Bloomberg Money, a new destination for personal finance.
Assertive Yield has announced a partnership with The Media Trust to strengthen ad quality & publisher revenue.
The People’s Friend has announced the launch of its new Love Darg Books campaign, calling on readers across the UK to help pass on the joy of reading by donating cherished children’s books.
