Intro to Media and Society 3 25 The Magazine Industry Magazine History Early magazines were political and literary in nature They weren t typically read for images Expensive Aimed at elites Done for hobby not for profit Typically contained writings about the author s passions and ideas written by wealthy people to circulate their knowledge Magazines as Mass Media Confluence of factors circa 1830 More education led to more literacy Steam powered press led to greater production distribution Postal changes magazines make deals with post office for cheaper shipping By 1850 there were around 4 000 5 000 titles Targeting Female consumers Numerous Women s titles were launched in mid 1850s why Because women were viewed as the primary household consumer Example Godey s Lady s Book 1830 Contained fashion patterns articles fiction stories Most editors were male but created fake female names to appeal to female readers These magazines invited submissions to promote interaction like magazines today Magazines in the Industrial Age Enhanced technology Larger audiences Improved transportation Photography Magazine professionals in the late 1800s magazines shifted from being a hobby to a profession The Magazine and Advertising Industries Advertisers in the Industrial Era sought to reach mass audiences and turned to magazines for this Development of brands brands start to be created to form customer loyalty Magazines dual revenue stream income from subscriptions and advertisers Magazines in the 20th Century Era of mass circulation magazines 1920s 1950s Ladies Home Journal Saturday Evening Post Times and Reader s Digest Photojournalism Life and Look magazines both debuted in 1930s Renowned for artistic covers and use of images to tell news stories photojournalism What happened to these magazines Television came about The Rise of Niche Glossies Types of Magazines Business Trade focuses on topics related to a particular occupation profession or industry Aimed at people in different businesses Consumer Leisure reading magazines aimed at general public Literary Reviews Academic Journals Newsletters Comics Distribution of Magazines Exhibition Importance of placement at retail locations Vertical Integration Slotting Fees payment to ensure products will be placed prominently at front of racks checkout counters Importance of Color Lines Subscriptions dual revenue Advertising Cover Lines Strong large loud colorful phrases that compete with powerful photographs Rare in early magazines more prominent in mid 70s Controlled Circulation Production is supported through changing readers and advertising Media Kits sources of information packaged for potential advertisers Tells potential advertisers who the audience is