A research post on the history of magazines

1. THE HISTORY OF
MAGAZINES
Research post

2.  The first publication which was able to be named a magazine,
was the German ‘Erbauliche Monaths Unterredungen’, released
in 1663.
 After it was launched several magazines with very similar topics
were published. They were intended for an intellectual audience.
 A publication similar to today’s magazines appeared in the year
1672. This was when French author Jean Donneau de Vize
created Le Mercure Galant.
 The first women’s magazine, Ladie’s Mercury, was launched in
London in the year 1693. Of course, these publications in their
beginnings were called periodicals.
The beginnings of print Magazines

3.  The name “magazine” first became apparent in the year 1731
with the Gentleman’s Magazine. It comes from the Arabic word
which means warehouse, and was used for describing the place
which gives large quantity of lots of different goods.
 The analogy was used to describe a book that contained many
useful information for travellers and sailors.
Where did the name ‘Magazine’ come from?

4.  The success of the magazine was very good, but there was a very high cost for every issue.
 It cost a lot to print, and the number of printed copies could not be any higher than one
hundred thousand, because it was technically it was not possible to squeeze a larger amount
of paper through the machine.
 Distribution was also a big problem because it was difficult to move large quantities of
magazines at great distances.
Initial issues

5.  In the mid 19th century, magazines became available for the middle
class, as previously it was only the upper class who would be able to
purchase due to high costs and intellectual content that others may
struggle to understand.
 This was beginning for the first family magazines, such as, Dickens
Household Words.
 During the 19th century, increasing attempts was made to cut the price of the magazines. In the late
19th century the number of printed copies increased, and the price of the issue was reduced. This
marks the development of the magazines as one of the world’s leading media.
 The first advertising agency was established in 1890 and from that point on advertising started to
flourish.
Developments

6.  In the early 20th century, one of the most important icons in the world of
publishing appears, William Randolph Hearst.
 He is the owner of several newspapers across America.
 During the Cuban War for Independence, Hearst and Pulitzer published in their
newspapers images of tortured and starving Cuban troops.
 At this moment, the term yellow journalism was invented, which marks the
sensationalist approach to the presentation of events.
Rise of the Magazines

7. William Randolph Hearst, Henry Luce and Britton Hadden
 Although Luce launched Time, he did not guide the
magazine. He actually stole the idea for the first
political weekly from his colleague at Yale, Britton
Hadden.
 Hadden was the editor of the Time, and he gained
loyal readers, as well as bringing the financial profit
to the company. The same company will issue
several well-known magazines such as Life, Sports
Illustrated and Money.
 Besides Hearst’s magazines, some other important publications appear such as Conde Nast’s
Vogue, Vanity Fair and news magazine Time, these were started by henry Luce.

8.  Helene Gordon Lazareff and her Elle magazine was launched in 1945 and it greatly changed how
women think, speak and perceive themselves. Weekly Elle instructed French women how to be
attractive and nice.
 In 1947 Helen promoted unknown designer Dior and in 1958 she promoted the return of Coco
Chanel.
 The number of sold copies reached one million in 1960, when one out of six French women
regularly read Elle. She left the magazine in 1972. In the year 1988, when dying of Alzheimer’s
disease, circulation of Elle dropped to barely 370 000 sold copies.
Helene Gordon Lazareff

9.  In Germany in 1959, Twen was released. Twen was a provocative magazine for a younger
audience, and it consisted of erotic photos and intelligent articles. The editors wanted to attract
new younger generation and tin this, they succeeded.
 In the seventies a new type of magazine emerged, celebrity magazine. The first issue of People
was out in 1974. Since then this kind of magazines has been the best selling one. Cosmopolitan
gained lots of popularity.
Evolution of the Magazines

10.  On the other side there were fashion magazines. The most famous of
them are Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
 Their kind lasts for more than a century, and occasionally there are
few new rivals.
 At the beginning of the 80’s Vanity Fair was reissued.
Newer magazines

11.  Some say magazines are past their time, but yet there
will still be printed magazines, no matter how popular
tablet editions are. Yes, the numbers will drop but they
will never die.
 There will always be a need for printed magazines.
Although this is the age of the Internet, we continue to
enjoy magazines and admire their pages and
headlines.
 Technology will advance and other ways to read the
content will come about but magazines will still remain
apparent as they are easy and accessible and have
been around for such a long time.
Magazines will never die