"The magazine industry has survived the coming of digital age because it has been able to exploit technological advances. Indeed it has always done so throughout its long history."

INTRO
Magazines have been around for hundreds of years. Over the past 20 years, the way in which magazines can be read has changed. In 1994, newspapers got put onto the internet and about the same time, some were published onto CD-Roms for use on home computers. Many people in 1994 have bought personal computers as they are new technology that everyone is looking to own.


In 1995, some mainstream magazines got websites on which articles were published. More and more people own computers in 1995, especially in developed countries like UK and USA.


In 2005, digital papers were announced and his led to the closure of certain magazines, but whom carried on with radio and TV channels and by having it online. Technology has rapidly advanced with mobile phones being an item in many people's pockets, rather than the odd person.


By 2007, people were able to download magazines onto their phones and view magazines on YouTube. Some magazines also added features into their magazines that told the reader of online films and podcast. In late 2007, certain magazines created TV channels for example, Nuts TV which is based on the men's magazine. Technology such as mobile phones have advanced, with the addition of music players and cameras now incorporated into the phones.


In 2009 the first iPhone application for magazines was launched. NME was the first magazine to have such an application. By 2010, with the launch of technology such as iPads and the iPod touch, that applications for magazines has become more appealing and so more have been launched. 


With technology changing and advancing so much as it has over the past 20 years, it has changed the way in which people read their magazines, although the traditional paper way still proves popular enough to still be printed.

Preliminary Task

For the preliminary task we have chosen to film the scene in the style of a western film.

Location: Saloon-type doors and corridor, leading into a room/space with two chairs.

Script: (Roland walks through doors to the room where Derek is already sitting, playing with some money and chewing on a toothpick)
           ROLAND: (Slams hands on table) You stole my gold.
           (Derek looks up and raises eyebrow)
           ROLAND: You left your filthy stench on my property. (Bangs fist on table)
           DEREK: Well you left your filthy stench on my wife! (Presses up from the table,        kicking away the chair behind him)
           (The two men stare at each other angrily.  Roland turns and leaves, Derek follows, throwing down some money as he leaves).


The video is shown below.


Preliminary Task from Jessica Baker on Vimeo.

Lesson Work 8/11/2010

1.) Why did IPC Media have cause to be optimistic about their business prospects in 2006?
IPC had cause to be optimistic about how their business would pan out in 2006 as they had numerous successful launches of new magazines during the previous year. In early 2005, they released Pick Me Up and TV Easy which collectively had £16 million marketing investments behind them. 




2.) According to the article in THE GUARDIAN (Jan 2009) why are the major players in the British magazine industry better placed to weather the economic crisis?
An extract from the guardian article states: 
"Large publishers such as IPC Media, Condé Nast and Future Publishing, which have invested in extending their brands into TV, web, mobile, radio or shopping, are more likely to weather the impact than those with standalone products or thinner portfolios of titles. Economies of scale help larger companies to spread costs, and the clout they can wield with suppliers also helps them into more favourable positions. In addition, advertisers are also likely to focus their budgets on key titles. Which could leave free magazines, with their heavy reliance on advertising as the primary source of income, with some real challenges."




3.) Visit the IPC website and choose two contrasting brands. Create a fact file for each brand.

ANGLER'S MAIL FACT FILE
Frequency: Weekly
Circulation: 34,413
Readership: 226,000
Male: 97%
Female: 3%
Average Age: 48

NME FACT FILE

Frequency: Weekly
Circulation: 33,875
Readership: 325,000
Male: 74%
Female: 26%
Average Age: 23