Secondary research: Regional magazine production.

By Amy Hannah
Product 1: ABSOLUTE magazine, regional area of Brighton and Sussex UK.

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION:
ABSOLUTE magazine is a free monthly distributed magazine that is distributed primarily in Sussex and Brighton
City UK. The magazine aims to promote lifestyle, fashion and an integration of culture throughout its’ running
articles. It is independently owned and therefore only distributes and produces for its own company profits.
Furthermore – the magazine has its own independent website. Here audiences can see other additional issues
produced and the website aims to promote the distributed issues further. Additionally: the website provides
subsections of different genres and categories of content. This allows audiences to research and navigate
areas of interest more clearly and concisely. This could be a possible consideration of promoting my own
regional magazine production. A website production is an interesting and interactive way to engage audience
types in contemporary society due to the existence of new media and how producers are now eager to
transfer print content online and further promote this through marketing and advertising tools online. From
brief research of the website itself alone, it is evidenced how the company makes continuous reference to the
city of Brighton UK repeatedly and Sussex to bring significance and relevance to audience members. This
provides a ground base of promoting the magazine production to the regional area first and foremost.
However – the website and company also refer to other cities on the outskirts of the area (I.e London and
Eastbourne) this would therefore allow the product to be identified and recognised by secondary audiences
(those with an interest in fashion and lifestyle with the integration of culture). This will enable the product to
reach out to more than one singular type of audience. From this – the production company will gain further
profit by reaching out to separate audience types from different geographical areas within the UK. I wish to do
this with my own production. Firstly: aiming for a specific regional area (then branching out to secondary
audiences such as within London and the surrounding areas of this city.)

READERSHIP AND OTHER RELEVANT FIGURES:

https://issuu.com/absolutemag/docs/absolute_media_pack_2016
 From the media pack enclosed – it provides us with the following information for the year of 2016: There have
been 10,000 distributed printed copies of the Absolute regional magazine to high and prestigious areas within
the area of Brighton and Hove. The company has also been able to branch out to online audiences: this is
highlighted through a total of 5,000 business purchases for E copies of the magazine. A database of customer
purchases highlights the statistics of a staggering 36,000 and then postal subscription from audiences at the
amount of 500 per month. These figures reflect how although regional magazine productions usually face
some struggle within industry in achieving accessing key audience members: these readership figures appoint
to how this can be challenged through online distribution and considering more than one type of audience
member (I.e: those living within a secondary distance from Brighton and Hove (branching out to the areas of
Brighton.) The ratio of male to female readership is stated to be 41% male to 59% female. As I will be
producing a regional print magazine myself taking of the lifestyle, fashion and culture mix of genres. This is a
good consideration for my audience members. Aiming towards this gender ratio would reach out to a diversity
of audience types and therefore would confidently appeal to the audience I intended my product to be for.

However – to recognise here is that the magazine is only published 6 months out of the possible 12 months a
year (therefore condensing further profits for the magazine production)
https://www.absolutemagazine.co.uk/about-us/ The company website also highlights how the magazine is
accessible free of charge to audiences. This may have given significance to how for a regional magazine – it has
a large amount of readership figures compared to other regional magazines in the contemporary print
magazine industry. This is a crucial consideration for my own production as due to institutional context, this
can impact on the output and therefore distribution of print magazines as evidenced within the readership
figures. Though they are considerable large for a regional print magazine production – these figures compared
to some of the leading UK lifestyle and culture magazines (such as NME, a national music magazine) or the
likes of Vogue magazine (A well acknowledged fashion, beauty health and lifestyle magazine) these figures are
significantly low. For my own production it is therefore necessary and crucially important to attract audience
types through appropriate distribution and advertising. Understanding how uniqueness and difference for
regional magazines are elements for success in furthering the sales of the product.

Product 2: Absolutely magazine: Regional area of London UK.

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION: https://zest.london/what-we-do/magazines/

Absolutely magazines are a London based regional magazine production with a genre focus on luxury lifestyle. Focusing in on
local content and bringing a “national tone” to its production of magazines. It is owned by Zest Media publications Limited–
whom produce not only print magazines, but a range of media products accessible for a vast range of audience types.
Other forms of media the company produces is content for Social media, video, photography, branding and
wesbites

READERSHIP AND OTHER RELEVANT FIGURES:

https://issuu.com/zestmedialondon/docs/____absolutely_media_pack_final

https://zest.london/work/absolutely-2/

As previously mentioned about readership and circulation figures for regional magazines – it has been
identified how some magazines lack in readership figures (I.E: Absolute Magazine, Brighton) due to the lack of
interest for regional magazine productions. However – Absolutely magazine, London has produced 17 monthly
editions over the course of four years. Highlighting a significant difference for the circulation and therefore
readership of print magazine productions. This magazine accounts for high status individuals (those of the
socio-economic groupings B-A which consist of higher management and earning larger salaries. The gender
readership forms similarly to the previous magazine production with male to female ratio of readership being
41% male and 59% female. The online magazine has encountered a readership from audiences at the figure of
409,673 reads, 14,721950 impressions and a total of 1,659 followers. (2017 figures). Moreover, the print
production of Absolutely magazine falls at the large figure of over 300,000 copies around the city of London.
Although Absolutely magazine differs slightly in genre to my own intended production with it homing in on
luxury lifestyle (from cultural events to celebrity profiles, homes and property news to fashion, travel and food
etc). It has evidenced how the extent of advertising and branching out to more than one singular region can
further the success for a regional print magazine production. Absolutely magazine is also a part of a large
media publisher (Zest media productions) and therefore will face strong audience responses to the distribution
of their products. Furthermore, this is something to consider for my own regional print magazine production
(Bright-on magazine) In how institutional context can impact on readership for a magazine production.
Although my magazine will not take of a “luxurious” focus for content – it will be diverse enough to branch out
to regions separate to just the Brighton, Hove and Sussex area. The first issue will aim to focus on youth
subcultures from past to present. However, future issues will focus on lifestyle and culture with the integration
of fashion. This will gain further interest from other regions, specifically from the London area which the
capital city within the UK for fashion and a great outlet for British culture. From this – audiences can be active
viewers in whether to purchase the product or not. Relatively – my magazine should aim for a similar amount
of readership figures after the first release.

Product 3: I-D magazine: London UK.

https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/page/i-d-about-us-en-uk

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION:

I-D magazine emerged within the 1980’s era with a primary focus upon punk culture within this era specifically.
It had then become acknowledged for being a fashion and culture-based content magazine, used primarily as a
source of inspiration for youths. It has greatly evolved from its traditional intentions as a magazine production
and now focuses greatly on contemporary culture and fashion lifestyle. Not only does the production home in
on fashion and lifestyle. But it also focuses on art, film, music culture and a vast range of creative sectors. I-D
productions is also owned by Vice media. Which owns another 9 production companies.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/dec/18/vice-media-buys-i-d

READERSHIP AND OTHER FIGURES:

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/i-d-magazine-celebrates-35-years-with-18-
supermodel-covers-10278290.html

In terms of direct readership figures for this production. It was not necessarily navigable. However – The
Guardian comments upon how in 2012, the circulation for I-D’s print magazine productions is increasing. This
being due to the publication being taken over by a large production company (Vice). This will enhance the
readership circulation figures for the print distributions of I-D magazine. Moreover – there are distributed
figures for the readership of magazines from the vice company. The following information was found within
the 2016 published media pack: https://upload-assets.vice.com/files/2016/01/15/1452894236compressed.pdf

Within the “Female culture” genre of the media pack – it highlights how I-D magazine accommodates for being
the source of inspiration for fashion culture. Arguing how it covers a wide range of beauty, lifestyle news and
trends. They also suggest how their online distribution network of publications connects brands with women
on sites they trust. Statistics highlighted demonstrate a readership of 73% female to 27% male ratio of content
engagement. Users of their online publication from mobile devices reaching to a figure of 41% readership.
Within the art and design section of the genre division for Vice publications. It argues how I-D is once again: a
great inspiration for the coolest fashion culture. With it’s editorial (magazine) and photography supporting this
statement significantly. Moreover: figures highlight how the pageviews for the initial website itself reaching at
2.2 million views. These figures highlight a consideration of how I wish to reach to my own audience members.
Understanding how content made can impact on how institutions view and therefore publicise media content.
For example – although my magazine will be confined to the Brighton region to begin with – the aim is to
branch out to secondary audiences within the regional area of London UK. This being specifically relevant to
the fact that London UK is prominent for fashion – particularly those of younger age groups and audience
types. Secondly: it is necessary to consider how institutions will look for content to advance their own
company. If a larger media company is interested within my magazine production: this will further the
advertising of my product and therefore will branch out to those secondary audiences I wish to do within
future issues. Consequently: this will further the distribution of the product initially and will expand on
audience readership for the production.