I wrote this essay for my Comm 351 class. It’s written in the form of letters and is about the forces of change impacting the magazine industry. In the first letter, I’m pitching a new women’s lifestyle and fashion magazine to Hearst Media. In the second set of letters, I’m discussing the debate between print and online magazines, specifically by addressing concerns of symbolic economy, digitization, and globalization.
Dear Hearst Media,
I am a former employee of SHEI Magazine and am aiming to produce my own publication. As a creative worker, I would like to propose to you an idea for a new women’s lifestyle and fashion magazine that would be similar to Glamour and Cosmopolitan and would be targeted to trendy females aged 18-22. The premise for this magazine is a one-stop shop for fashion and beauty tips, dating advice, and fitness, health, and happiness strategies. I’ve wanted to start my own magazine ever since I finished high school because I absolutely love the industry. I’m glad I waited though because I think it will be easier to accomplish this today thanks to the rise of the symbolic economy, digitization, and globalization. My primary goals for this magazine are to target a specific niche audience, use the Internet to facilitate easier content creation and distribution as well as to give audiences more choice and power, and focus on localization and global consistency in order to attract advertisers and make profits.
In today’s world, with the rise of the symbolic economy, targeting niche markets is the way to go which is why I will develop content catered to the specific audience outlined above. Although magazines have always been targeted to specific groups, “a dramatic increase in available options, a simultaneous increase in individual control over content, and a corresponding decrease in the power of general interest intermediaries” (Sunstein, 2001) has changed the way magazines are created today. I feel that niche markets are very important to Hearst Media since your first publication, Motor magazine, was created after “Mr. Hearst had the idea of creating a publication for people he felt certain would be fascinated by this new mode of transportation,” the automobile (Hearst Communications Inc. 2009). I aim to follow suit and produce a magazine that will fascinate people interested in the world of fashion and beauty. When Fordist economic practices were in full swing, content was standardized and there was little room for creativity or autonomy of workers (Lotz, 2011). I’m glad this isn’t the case today because I want to have creative control over my magazine and this is where the fun comes in!
Digitization has opened up a whole new door to magazine creation and distribution and these changes benefit both producers and consumers. Since technology has changed the way we consume media, I plan to develop a magazine that successfully works on multiple platforms. Before the rise of the symbolic economy, print was the least technologically savvy medium (Lotz, 2011) meaning creativity was hard to achieve and production was less efficient. This is no longer the case due to the Internet and its ability to improve the ease at which one can create a magazine. In 1990, digitization and fragmentation took form and things were done differently than in earlier years. Creative workers were able to use computers to assist in the labor process and advertisers were able to easily market to subcultures around the world via the web.
Nowadays we have even more flexible forms of production, distribution, and marketing thanks to the Internet. I hope to expand my creativity and create new types of lifestyle and fashion content appropriate for print, the web, and tablets. Using the computer to make this magazine will result in increased professionalism because it will allow me to easily communicate with other employees and use programs such as Adobe InDesign to effectively design this publication. I can even create the magazine out of my own home if I choose to do so—sounds like a lovely idea to me! My goal is to provide readers with more content by creating additional stories, images, and features that are available exclusively on the web and other portable devices to compliment the print edition that is restricted to a certain page limit. Since audiences know it isn’t costing as much to make magazines as it did prior to the digital era, they expect to get the content for free which is why the online version of this magazine won’t cost a penny. Although the content will appear free to readers, I will still profit from this business model because as Anderson (2009) says, “advertisers pay for media to reach consumers, who in turn support advertisers” (p. 11). I want to please my readers but I also need money so advertising will be a key component to the start-up of my magazine.
According to Gentz and Kramer (2006), the Internet has “provoked a boom in the print market, which, at the same time, also strongly influences the aesthetics and the reception of these new electronic communications,” (p. 9). Audiences now have increased choice and consumption options thanks to the Internet and it is easy for consumers to click on and sort through these options. Kuivalainen, Ellonen, and Sainio (2007) say, “Online services may support many functions and business-model elements that are important to a magazines success” (p. 10). These functions include just-in-time production, easy accessibility to content, semi-personalization, the ability for reader comments and contributions, and new marketing techniques. When creating this magazine, I plan for it to have a strong online presence that allows citizen journalists to post articles and communicate with one another to create a community of females who want to read and write about lifestyle, fashion, and the like. Jenkins (2006) describes the new consumers in our current “convergence culture” as more “active” and “socially connected” (p. 18-19) which is why I will also create a Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter account for my magazine in order to capitalize on the world of social media and maintain the community-feel of my magazine. As Keller (2010) says, “In the past several years, publishers have primarily sought to leverage social media tools like Facebook and Twitter for the purposes of brand awareness and user engagement,” and this is exactly what I want to do.
Now that I’ve told you about my production plans, I will outline my distribution strategies. In the 1990s, magazine creators were able to distribute content on the web, but not to the extent at which they can distribute it today. Since the audience is narrower in today’s society, there is “greater need for affordable distribution” (Lotz, 2011) so I plan to also take advantage of the new delivery technologies that are available in today’s digital era such as iPads, smart phones, and the Internet by creating a cultural product that converges across all platforms. This will hopefully attract advertisers since all of the females in my target audience can be reached at the same time via these technological devices. Keep in mind that despite the advances of digitization, I am still creating a print version of my magazine because of statistics such as this: “A new survey of American readers by The Rosen Group, about the state of current and future media, found that nearly 80% of respondents still subscribe to magazines,” (Loechner, 2009).
In order to reach the largest possible audience of trendy females aged 18-22, I will adapt my magazine for a global market. In recent years, magazine production and distribution has been strongly influenced by localization and global consistency due to the easy global spread of content via the web (Lotz, 2011). I plan to focus on both of these aspects of globalization when making this magazine. Since I am creating a fashion magazine, localization is important “because of fashion differences and different competitive mixes in each market” (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 238). I will be sure to individualize the content of each country’s edition of this magazine while still maintaining “some degree of global consistency” which will allow me to profit from “global fashion trends and advertiser dollars” (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 238). I plan to globally distribute this magazine so I can generate additional sales “by promoting and reporting on prestigious global events” like Paris fashion week (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 236). I will use the Internet to attract an international audience and simultaneously release content around the world to create a buzz (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 235). In earlier years, during Fordism, magazines didn’t have as much of a global reach because the Internet wasn’t developed which meant international production and distribution of content was difficult to achieve. It would have been much harder for me to spread my magazine around the world before the digital era but I can now easily distribute it to different countries. The global spread of content will benefit readers because it will expose them to content from around the world. By producing a globalized magazine, I hope to attract advertisers that will create a “global community” by targeting particular populations around the globe (Havens & Lotz, p. 230). This will contribute to the local and global success of my magazine.
I hope that you like my idea for this new women’s lifestyle and fashion magazine. I am certain I can successfully develop and execute my ideas and turn my magazine dream into a reality. Now that I have outlined the particular creative practices I plan to adhere to, feel free to give me suggestions or ask questions. I would love to launch this magazine in the next year or two before the industry changes even more. I feel that the production and distribution of this magazine will be a success because I have examined the changes in the magazine industry caused by the rise of the symbolic economy, digitization, and globalization and have created a product appropriate for this new media environment. I would be greatly honored to work with you and add another great magazine to Hearst’s outstanding collection.
Best,
Erica Avesian
Paper #2
A Letter to the Managing Editor Erica Avesian,
Hello Erica. I absolutely love reading your magazine, GLAM. I have been subscribing for the past seven years and used to read it over my older sister’s shoulder as soon as I learned how to read. GLAM is the perfect publication for people like me who are obsessed with fashion and beauty. I enjoy receiving a new issue in the mail every month and flipping through the pages cover to cover. I know the magazine is now available online, on iPads, and on smart phones due to digitization, but I’m just not ready to let go of the print version of the magazine. Recently in my communications class we’ve been learning about the three forces of change affecting media industries and I’m concerned they could negatively impact the magazine industry. I’m mostly afraid about the future of GLAM’s print version. Please, please tell me that GLAM will survive the rise of the symbolic economy, digitization, and globalization.
Sincerely,
Tara
Dear Tara,
Thanks for being such a supporter of GLAM. I’m afraid you are correct; we’ve been experiencing a lot of challenges lately due to the three forces of change you mentioned, but not all effects have been bad. You shouldn’t worry because I’m doing everything I can to continue the circulation of GLAM and overcome these struggles to improve and perfect the magazine. You seem to know quite a bit about the current forces of change impacting the magazine industry. I will tell you about some of the major challenges we’ve faced in the last decade and what we’ve done to resolve these problems. The combination of Post-Fordist economic practices with digitization and globalization has affected how we conduct business here at GLAM. We have had to alter our business model and money-making strategies in order to account for changes in production and distribution caused by digitization. The Internet reduces artificial scarcity because it allows for just-in-time production and the simultaneous release of content in the US and around the globe. It’s in the magazine’s best interest to release content at the same time in various countries to prevent problems like piracy (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 223). I’m sure you’ve learned that because of the ease of transmission of digital media, “ownership is an outmoded concept in the digital world” (Lotz, 2011). Although we have to be careful and make smart decisions if we want to continue making money in this digital era, we can solve a lot of our economic problems related to “nobody knows” thanks to digitization. Have you learned about this concept in your communications class?
Hi Erica,
Yes I have learned about “nobody knows.” I’m pretty sure it refers to the problem of prediction of success because nobody really knows what will be successful. I’m curious to learn how digitization has helped you solve some of the problems related to “nobody knows.” I’m guessing distribution has something to do with it…
Hi Tara,
You are on the right track. The cost of production can be contained because distribution via the Internet can lead to an on-demand cost structure. This means that we no longer have to produce large prints of our magazine (Lotz, 2011). As of now, GLAM is available for free online which I’m sure is great for readers like you! We make money primarily through advertising, so if we want to keep our advertisers as we shift from print to online, we need to make sure GLAM contains high quality stories (Greg, 2007). Luckily the Internet creates digital footprints which allow us to learn more about our audience and sell that audience to advertisers who will then fund GLAM both online and offline. Analysis of the long tail helps explain some of the benefits caused by digitization. The Long Tail gives consumers more options, embraces niche audiences, and gives us a way to monetize everything. In simple terms, it helps me make money, and that helps us produce GLAM. I know you said you enjoy the print version, but digital distribution is a great way for us to save money here at GLAM so we may have to go completely digital in the next ten years. Using the long tail “allows vastly distributed audience members to form a viable market” (Lotz, 2011) and this viable market is the best way for GLAM to survive the current forces of change. As you mentioned in your first letter, we do distribute GLAM through the Internet, smart phones and the tablet market. Have you ever subscribed to our GLAM app?
Erica,
No I haven’t because I already subscribe to the print magazine. It seems like I may have to in the near future though. How has the tablet market affected GLAM?
Tara,
I would say the tablet market is one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced in recent years. It is still a recently new concept and has many uncertainties associated with it. My main concern is how to establish an effective business model that works in the tablet market. Although I chose to make a GLAM app, I am not sure if this was the best idea. Apple wants 30% of the cut on all app sales (Moe, 2011) so now we are losing money. In order to gain back some of this money, I plan to engage in transmedia storytelling. As you may have learned in your discussion of Post-Fordist economic practices, content synergy and brand is one way to make money in this increasingly digitized and globalized world which is why I want the GLAM brand to be spread across multiple mediums and platforms. Do you have any suggestions for doing this?
Erica,
I love that you are asking for my opinion! You could ask your creative team to design an “Ask the GLAM girl” feature specifically for mobile phones that could give instant responses to fashion/beauty questions. You could also combine some of your entertainment and marketing strategies to really stamp the GLAM brand in everyone’s mind.
Tara,
Great ideas! I’m going to talk to my creative workers and marketing team and see if they can work on some of your ideas. I’m hoping to extend the GLAM franchise beyond the magazine industry and into the clothes and makeup industries. I also plan to establish a French version of GLAM because of the prominence of the French fashion industry. In order to do this, I must work out some of the challenges caused by globalization. Are you familiar with any of these challenges and how they impact the magazine industry?
Erica,
I think the challenges involve language and cultural specificity as well as technological and regulatory issues. Since GLAM is a fashion magazine, you will need to make sure you appeal to global and local fashion trends in both France and the US. I’m sure the magazine can be easily translated into French, so the language shouldn’t be a problem. You should also make sure the French have the same access to online content as the Americans have. Have you ever thought about co-producing with someone in France?
Tara,
I don’t think co-production will be the best decision for GLAM; it is more common in the film industry than in the magazine industry. I will make sure the French edition of GLAM contains “glocal” content so it remains successful outside of the US. If and when I find someone to work with who lives in France, I will allow him or her to have control over which specific photos and titles to choose in order to localize the content to appeal to the French, but since I am the executive, I will set the format of GLAM France (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 239). This will help me to economically benefit from the synergy and brand that I was telling you about earlier.
Erica,
Have you ever thought about outsourcing in order to save even more money? I’ve learned that this is a good strategy for some media industries and I’m wondering if it will work in the magazine industry.
Tara,
What a smart girl you are! We’d love to save money here at GLAM so I am definitely going to look into outsourcing. In the next ten years, as the industry undergoes even more changes, “increasing competition and the need to meet consumer demand” may lead to even more outsourcing (Magazine Publishers, 2007). I’ve heard from other executives in the industry that the Internet makes it cheaper and quicker to communicate with foreign workers (Havens & Lotz, 2011, p. 240). This sounds great to me; I will have more money and time to research great improvements for GLAM once I hire workers in cheaper labor markets to do some of the behind the scenes work for the magazine. Well Tara, I think I’ve covered the main challenges we’ve faced in the last decade. I hope this helped clear up some of your concerns related to the rise of the symbolic economy, digitization, and globalization. I expect to come across similar challenges in the next ten years as digitization leads to even more fragmentation but I feel like I am more prepared to handle these challenges now. As long as I can develop a viable business model, GLAM will continue to circulate into the hands and screens of readers like you.
Kind regards,
Erica Avesian
References
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Gentz, N. & Kramer, S. (2006). Globalization, cultural identities, and media representations. Albany: State University of New York Press.
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Havens, T. & Lotz, A. (2011). Understanding Media Industries. New York: Oxford.
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(2007, Sept 19). Magazine Publishers Outsource to Stay Competitive! Retrieved from http://www.sourcingnotes.com/content/view/112/60/ (2011, April 3).