Some magazines have a very niche audience, because their subjects are particularly specific. For example 'Metal Forces' magazine is of a heavy metal genre, which is the sub-genre of rock. Genres can be split into sub-genres, and each sub genre (or sub-sub genre, sub-sub-sub genre etc) becomes more and more directed to a niche market.Metal Forces is a British publication which emerged in 1983, and combined the two genres of metal and rock music. It was famous for its inclusion of unsigned bands, as it heightened there reputation and helped many of them to secure record deals. A vinyl album was also created, called 'Demolition - Scream Your Brains Out' which was based upon the magazine's columns, and was released in 1988. The magazine featured many interviews with alternative rock acts, for example 'Nivarna'. In 1991, 'Metal Forces' created another publication for the sub-genre Thrash Metal, which was called 'Metal Forces'.
The website for Metal Force looks a lot more modern than the magazine, however it still focusses upon bands which were famous in the 80s or 90s. This gives a Retro feel, but also validates the idea that the target audience is extremely niche and established, therefore the content must be directed specifically towards this loyal fan base.
Magazine readership and sales are decreasing at a fast rate for various reasons, the most significant being the rise in internet circulation (therefore less hard copies being sold), and the decline in subscriptions. Examples of niche magazines which this is affecting include 'The Caravan Club Magazine' which has decreased by 2.5%, 'Soaplife' which is down by 17.9% and Practical Photography which has decreased by 21%.
Other magazine sales have increased recently; these seem to be the more broadcast style magazines, for example 'Tesco Real Food' has increased by 4.4%, 'Cbeebies' is up by 22% and 'Woman's Way' by 1.3%. This may be due to the more established and wider fan base.
Well done, Alice - good stuff here.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to edit this a little Metal Forces was a 'thrash' metal mag, thrash being a more brutal sub-genre of heavy metal.
Also, look a little more closely at the Tesco mag demographic. Sales are up, but why?
Think about how much profit Tesco makes and how much it can afford to invest in its own magazine.
Also, think of it's POS - it can place its own mags in prime store locations (ie the checkouts) which help increase its circulation.
You can even bore down in to deomgraphics further still. What is the age of a typical CBeebies mag? Three or four perhaps? Check back if there had been a baby boom three or four years ago, which could have an effect on circulation.
Publishers will be aware of these demographic shifts (for example knowing there was a larger than normal amount of children born in 2008-9 and would plan to release 'kiddie' mags in 2010-12 to hit the toddler boom.
Why would Practical Photography drop by so much? Think about socio-economics... Are people buying new cameras at the moment?
If not, then the pull of such a mag will be features which teach people how to get the most out of their existing equipment. Once that learning curve has been hit, then there's no reason to carry on buying the mag.
A lot of these comments can also apply to other people's work, so when you do read them, please pass them on to the others!