Chapter 5 - Magazines

DISCUSSION: We discussed how people are influenced by images in magazines. We discussed the three stages of media development, which apply to magazines and to other media we are studying: 

• Elite stage -- Only the most wealthy, most educated have access
• Popular stage -- Most people have access, but choices are limited
• Specialized stage -- Everyone has access, but choices are fragmented

SHOW AND TELL: We looked at examples of different types of magazines: Trade, public relations, consumer; and academic and professional journals, as well as Batman comics then and now.

MAGAZINE COVERS:  You can find out what was on the cover of Time on your birthday or any other day, here.

QUIZ 3 - Print (Chapters 3, 4 and 5) quiz will be on Wednesday. What to study: 
Books: Printing Revolution, Paperback Books, New Forms of the Book, Types of Books, The Reader, Censorship.
Newspapers: The First Newspapers, Zenger Case, The Associated Press and Objectivity, Yellow Journalism, Ida B. Wells-Burnett, Tabloids, Canons of Journalism, Alternative Press, Ethnic Press, Wire Services, The Reader: Changing Patterns, 
Magazines: Latina, Magazine Evolution, Muckrakers, Mass Circulation Magazines, Special Interest Magazines, Adapting to New Media, Types of Magazines, Promotion, New Product Development, The Reader, Impact of Images, Editorial Independence.

Sample student magazine (Kerry Prowse, 2012)

BLOG 4 - Magazine Proposal - 25 points (due Sunday midnight)

Write a proposal for a new magazine (either a print magazine or an online magazine), as if you were going to submit it to a publisher. Your proposal should include:

·         Name of magazine

·         Concept – how is your magazine different from existing magazines?

·         Readers – demographics and psychographics (may include age group, gender, ethnicity, income level, interests, self-image, self-identification, etc.)

·         Other magazines serving this demographic (your competition) – your investors will want to know how your magazine is different or better?

·         Five advertisers who you think would like to reach your readers

·         Five articles you might include in your premier issue

·         Describe the cover of your premier issue (photo, graphics, color, words, etc.)

·         Draw (or create electronically) your proposed cover, including the name of the magazine and highlighting top articles, and post it on your blog and/or bring it to class. Stick figures are OK. Here's a template to create a cover electronically.  You can also use PhotoShop, InDesign, etc.

TIPS:

• —Envision a group of people interested in a particular lifestyle or issue
• —Think about their lifestyle and buying habits
• —Which magazines do they already read?
• —Which advertisers would like to reach them?

I will give prizes for the best magazine proposal (most original and feasible) and for the most artistic.