1. Magazines in the Age of Specialization

2. 17th-18th century magazines zIn Europe, magazines served as channels for political commentary and persuasion yDefoe’s Review (1704-1713, London) yTatler, Spectator, Gentleman’s Magazine zIn Colonial America, magazines yImitated English models yRepublished articles from other sources yIncurred high mailing and publication costs yOften included poems and political essays yAssumed small audience of literate men

3. 19th century: Beginnings of specialized magazines zreligious periodicals boasted large readerships zliterary magazines published famous writers zmagazines targeting occupational markets (farmers, teachers, lawyers, doctors) zgeneral readership magazines

4. Saturday Evening Post zfounded 1821, Philadelphia zlongest-running magazine in US history zoriginal and republished articles zgeneral interest: news, poetry, essays, reviews zfirst magazine to appeal directly to women with addition of women’s section

5. Women’s magazines zLadies’ Magazine (1828, Sarah Josepha Hale) merged with Godey’s Lady’s Book (1830-1898) zplayed central role in educating working- and middle-class women

6. Golden Age of US Magazines: 1885-1905 zFree universal education created growing audience zPostal Act of 1879 zRural Free Delivery zReduction in magazine purchase price as magazines learned from penny press

7. Popular Magazines and Social Reform zMuckraking: crusading for social reform on behalf of public good zBoth women’s and general interest magazines: yInvestigated and revealed insider information about corrupt systems, poor living and working conditions, patent medicines yprovided greater depth of investigative coverage than newspapers

8. TV GUIDE: A magazine for the television age zEstablished 1953 by Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications zsmall format, supermarket sales strategy ztapped into rise of TV in American culture zregional editions tailored to local channels zBought out by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, LTD in 1988; used to promote Fox TV

9. DEMOGRAPHICS Dividing consumers into categories based upon age, sex, socioeconomic class, occupation, geographic location, lifestyle interests, hobbies, religion, politics, and so on. What’s your niche?

10. Legal and Ethical Issues z magazine marketing schemes z promotion to women of unattainable body types and ideals of beauty z promotion to men of sexual stereotypes z compromising editorial integrity through concessions to powerful advertisers and/or celebrities