1. The Contemporary Magazine/ September 4, 2012
The Magazine Industry

2. What is a magazine?
Magazine comes from the Arabic word makhazin, meaning warehouse or storehouse
It’s a storehouse for information

3. How are magazines different from newspapers?

4. How are magazines different from newspapers?
More in-depth
Specialized content/audience – they target a particular niche
They offer advertisers a very specific audience

5. How are magazines different from newspapers?
Less frequent – weekly, monthly or quarterly rather than daily
More permanent and durable than a newspaper

6. Types of Magazine
Consumer
Trade
Organization

7. Consumer magazines
Sold on newsstand or by subscription – usually inexpensive
Most contain advertising
General interest/special interest -- While early magazines were general interest, most are now special interest
Examples: TIME, People, Golf Digest

8. Trade magazines
Aka specialized business magazines, business-to-business magazines
A few sold on newsstand but most sold through subscription, which can be quite expensive
Examples: The Hollywood Reporter, Editor& Publisher

9. Trade Magazines

10. Organization magazines
Society/association
Public relations
Custom

11. Organization magazines

12. Largest magazines by circulation
Rank
Magazine
2011 Circulation 1
AARP THE MAGAZINE
22,395,670 2
AARP BULLETIN
22,236,671 3
THE COSTCO CONNECTION
8,489,821 4
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
7,648,900 5
GAME INFORMER
5,954,884 6
READER'S DIGEST
5,653,440 7
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
4,445,603 8
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
4,336,711 9
WOMAN'S DAY
3,863,710 10
FAMILY CIRCLE
3,816,958
Source: Magazine Publishers of America

13. State of the industry
State of the News Media Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism