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Intro to mass communication magazines February 6-8, 2007

2. Which magazines do you read?. And why?. 3. Why are magazines important?. Or are they?. 4. What makes magazines unique among the mass media?. . 5. Importance and uniqueness. America's earliest national mass mediumIn-depth, thoughtful reporting and opinion writingSpace and time

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Intro to mass communication magazines February 6-8, 2007

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    1. intro to mass communication magazines February 6-8, 2007

    2. 2 Which magazines do you read? And why?

    3. 3 Why are magazines important? Or are they?

    4. 4 What makes magazines unique among the mass media?

    5. 5 Importance and uniqueness Americas earliest national mass medium In-depth, thoughtful reporting and opinion writing Space and time on both producers and consumers parts to explore broad, deep, complex issues And issues reaching beyond local/regional boundaries

    6. 6 Importance and uniqueness (ctd.) Subject matter taboo (or too intellectual) for TV Subject matter simply not dealt with in mainstream media Reflector and shaper of national culture, identity, image And, not coincidentally, standards of beauty, consumption, wealth

    7. 7 Importance and uniqueness (ctd.) Heritage of investigative, issues-oriented, political/social concern Forum for voices not heard elsewhere (TV, newspapers) Speak directly to/for specific consumer/ citizen groups Production quality All of which contribute to magazines longevity

    8. 8 But magazines have always struggled for survival (let alone success) As a category As individual titles Why?

    9. 9 Among the challenges faced by magazines Retail cost Production costs Illiteracy (in 1800s) Threat from each successive medium Radio TV Internet

    10. 10 Magazine specialization (As well see with radio), since 1950s, magazines have specialized in order to survive television TV Guide a perfect example Not a simple process Texas Monthly Arizona Highways Both started out as niche publications Both developed national audiences

    11. 11 Magazine = storehouse Defoes Review (1704) For elites Political commentary Looked like a newspaper Gentlemans Magazine (1731) Samuel Johnson Alexander Pope But early colonial storehouses only for elites!

    12. 12 Other colonial magazines No middle class, raised cost issues No widespread literacy yet in colonies Colonial mags modeled on existing British titles Ben Franklin, in Philadelphia General Magazine Ruthlessly suppressed competition Used privileged position as Postmaster By 1776, about 100 magazines in colonies

    13. 13 1800s: the national magazine Better, cheaper technology Fed growing US literacy and education levels Better distribution and transportation Most targeted women Sara Josepha Hale: Ladies Magazine (1828) Godeys Ladys Book (1830) But also Saturday Evening Post (1821): men and women The Nation, 1865 Oldest continuously-published magazine

    14. 14 The importance of national childrens magazines Youths Companion (1826-1929) What was its crucial 1892 contribution to American civic culture? (Hints: Francis Bellamy. Christopher Columbus. Schoolchildren.)

    15. 15 What fueled mags growth in mid-to-late 1800s? Railroads Increasing literacy rates Mass production (printing technologies) All lead to lowering of cover price 1870s: most popular mags sell for 10 or 15 cents

    16. 16 What really made mags USs first national mass medium? The government! Postal Act of 1879 Publishers allowed to mail mags at 2nd-class postage rates

    17. intro to mass communication magazines (ctd.) February 8, 2007

    18. National medium? National advertising By late 1800s, advertising revenues soar. This builds (and builds upon) national marketplace for consumer goods.

    19. National medium? National(istic) awareness/identity The magazine as an instrument of emerging, American nationalism

    20. 20 Muckrakers (as T. R. dubs them in 1906) Early form of investigative reporting Newspapers at first, then magazines Not without personal risk to reporter Ida Tarbell takes on Standard Oil Lincoln Steffens takes on city hall Upton Sinclair exposes meat packing biz

    21. 21 Other objects of muckrakers attention Corruption in business, government, local police forces Americas poor Immigrants living conditions Race relations

    22. 22 Muckrakers results: 1900s-1910s Congress passes Pure Food & Drug Act Railroad Bill Clayton Anti-Trust Act Child labor laws 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Any guesses as to which mag led its charge?

    23. 23 An anti-muckraking magazine Saturday Evening Post Popular fiction Text and visuals romanticizing American virtues Famous for (among other things) Norman Rockwells cover illustrations

    24. 24 Through the first half of 20th century Magazines are general in their appeal By 1945, 32 million families subscribe to one or more mags Up from 200,000 families in 1900

    25. 25 The biggies of General Interest Readers Digest Life TV Guide National Geographic More recently: AARP the Magazine (f/k/a Modern Maturity) Time Founder Henry Luce: journalistic objectivity is a myth; better to be fair than objective

    26. 26 The power of photojournalism Major factor in popularity of general interest mags in 1st half of 20th century Life, Look, Time And now People, Us, Entertainment Weekly Photographic images powerfully capture and communicate world events And often affect public opinion and even policy Examples? But whats the downside of photojournalism? Especially now?

    27. 27 1950s onward: decline of general interest magazines Advertising money shifts to TV No mag can match TVs reach Paper costs rise in early 70s Life Look Saturday Evening Post all fail But many womens magazines survive

    28. 28 Magazines success strategy post-1950 Specialization! Appealing to small, clearly defined niche markets Unified internally by Geography Interests/hobbies Income level Occupation Lifestyle What else?

    29. 29 Another mag survival strategy: convergence When one medium takes on the function of other(s) And may support/work with others Most obvious forms of convergence in the magazine world today: online versions of magazines webzines

    30. 30 Examples of other types of media convergence in the mag world Magazines themselves! PC World Stereo Review Rolling Stone Magazine versions of TV shows (Oprah, Rosie, Martha) TV Guide: since owned by News Corp. (Murdoch), supports Fox programming The TV Guide channel HGTV

    31. 31 Classifications of (print) magazines Business/Trade/Profession Industrial/Company/Sponsored Consumer Literary Reviews/Academic Journals Newsletters

    32. 32 Consumer magazine sub-categories Alternative: Mother Jones, The Utne Reader Business/money: Money, Black Enterprise Celebrity and entertainment: People, Entertainment Weekly Childrens: Highlights, Ranger Rick Computer: Internet, PC World Ethnic: Hispanic, Ebony Family: Fatherhood, Parenting

    33. 33 Consumer sub-categories (ctd.) Fashion: Bazaar, Elle General interest: Readers Digest, Life Geographical: Texas Monthly, Bay Area Living Gray: Modern Maturity Literary: Atlantic Monthly, Harpers Mens: GQ, Field & Stream, Playboy

    34. 34 (ctd.) News: Time, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek Political opinion: The Nation, National Review Sports: Sport, Sports Illustrated Sunday newspaper: Parade, USA Weekend Womens: Working woman, Good Housekeeping, Ms. Youth: Seventeen, Tiger Beat

    35. 35 Another way of looking at this Interpellation (Louis Althusser, 1918-1990: French Marxist philosopher)

    36. 36 The act of interpellation, or hailing, you Makes availableor thrusts upon youa subject position for you take up Thus, creates you as a subject

    37. 37 The questions, then: How do magazines interpellate their readers? This goes beyond the question of how magazines (merely) address their readers Do magazines reflect or shape/create the identity of their readers? And, by extension, their culture?

    38. 38 Online magazines Often divided into two subcategories Purely online (online only): Slate, Salon Online versions of print mags: Time, Entertainment Weekly, The Nation Not huge hits at first Only now are some coming into their own financially Purely online mags have yet to be profitable!

    39. 39 Magazine research services Standard Rate and Data (SDRS) Collects info about mags Sells info to ad agencies Audit Bureau of Circulations (since 1914!) Measures mags circulations Keeps mags honest! Why would this be necessary?

    40. 40 What determines advertising rates? Actual circulation: number of copies of a magazine that are sold Not controlled circulation Free copies given away Not pass-along readership Copies read that were bought by others (friends, roommates, doctors, libraries)

    41. 41 Circulation issue: subs vs. single-copy sales (pros/cons?)

    42. 42 Chains

    43. 43 Chains

    44. Fewer than 90 U.S. magazines have circulations of 1,000,000+ The other nearly 22,000 U.S. magazines struggle to find a niche

    45. 45 Magazine structure Editorial: content; writing quality; publication focus and mission Production: machines and paperlayout and design ----------------(Chinese wall)---------------- Advertising and sales: manage the income stream from ads. Circulation and distribution (either paid or controlled)

    46. 46 Magazine editions: another survival strategy! Regional Split-run Demographic Why?

    47. 47 Advertising issues Why is advertising important to magazine publishers? What is complementary copy And why is it controversial? Whats the unique status of advertising in the magazine world (compared to, say, the TV or radio world)?

    48. 48 Advertising issues (ctd.) Why would some magazines NOT accept advertising? Either selectively or entirely? What are advertorials? And why do some people object to them?

    49. 49 Magazines and democracy? How do/might magazines contribute to a stronger democracy? Magazines arent the important national medium they once were Moreover, magazines interpellate their readers as consumers more frequently than as citizens How might magazines strengthen democracy?

    50. 50 Mags and democracy (ctd.) Individualization/specialization More groups targeted and represented Ownership issues Not as concentrated as newspapers or TV outlets More voices represented More open/appropriate venue for in-depth analysis & criticism than other media

    51. 51 Magazines and democracy How do magazines interpellate their readers as consumers? As citizens? Which do they do more often? How do/might magazines contribute to a stronger democracy? Magazines arent the important national medium they once were How might magazines strengthen democracy?

    52. 52 Mags and democracy (ctd.) Individualization/specialization More groups targeted and represented Ownership issues Not as concentrated as newspapers or TV outlets More voices represented More open/appropriate venue for in-depth analysis & criticism than other media

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