This document provides an overview of the history of Times Inc. (formerly IPC), outlining the various magazine genres and target audiences they have been associated with over the years from the 1800s to present day. It begins by discussing how IPC started as a small newspaper publisher in the 1800s targeting upper class men, and then expanded over time to publish magazines catering to diverse audiences such as women, children, specific hobby/interest groups. The document analyzes how IPC adapted to social and technological changes by launching new titles. It suggests IPC would be a suitable publisher for a new music magazine due to their experience publishing the iconic NME magazine for over 50 years, as well as their track record of adapting to audience

1. Research into music industries and institutions
A publishing company can be a standalone organisation who only focuses on
printing and distributing print products. Magazine producers used to create, produce
and print the magazines but this was very costly so they instead decided to
separate the creating side and producing and printing side (the publishing
company). Having a publishing company that stands alone is more effective
because they have international and national access to audiences worldwide. IPC is
an example of a large company that publishes a variety of magazines from different
genres.
1. What types of magazine and target audiences has Times Inc (formerly
IPC) been associated with over the years?
1800s – 1900s
The Field launched in 1853 and within a year became the largest newspaper in
Europe. It had its own correspondent throughout the Crimean War and its
November 18, 1854 issue ran a series of personal narratives of those who took
part in the Charge of the Light Brigade. This shows that IPC at first was only a
small scale company, as it is targeted to a niche audience because of the time
period. The target audience was upper class men because at this time women
were only seen as domestic housewives who would not be interested in the
covered topics. Furthermore because the magazine covered topics like the
‘Crimean War’, this suggests IPC aimed the newspaper at an upper class male
audience because they are quite intellectual topics that imply you would have to
be well educated to read. Because it was the largest newspaper in Europe this
presents the nature of social class (upper class males) at this time.
Eight further IPC titles that are still thriving today were launched in the late 1800s:
Country Life, Horse & Hound, Shooting Times, Yachting World, Amateur
Gardening, Cycling Weekly, Amateur Photographer and The Railway Magazine*.
This shows that IPC are beginning to expand and branch out. Unlike before with
just one newspaper, IPC are moving with the times. Instead of having a
newspaper that focuses on news and the world they decided to create magazines
that cater towards interests and leisure time. IPC produced specialist magazines
that did this; this was very innovative of them. Specialist areas such as Horse and
Hound and Yachting World, which would be aimed at a niche target audience of
upper class men. However other titles such as Amateur Gardening, Amateur
Photographer, The Railway Magazine and Cycling Weekly, this is a different
target audience of middle and possibly working class men. You could also argue
that Amateur Gardening could be aimed towards middle and working class
women too; however they were still not the main target audience.

2. In 1889 - the then unheard of fortune of £1 a week for life to any reader who
could ‘guess the amount of gold and silver in the Bank of England on a given
date’. Competitions play a huge role in promotion within magazine and still do so
today. However, this is a notable change within IPC’s target audience, which is
working class, as upper classes would not be interested in winning this prize.
This shows that IPC is in a more than comfortable position and are obviously
prosperous, because they can afford to give this away. In this time period the
amount offered is sizeable so it would definitely spark the working class’ interest.
1920s – 1940s
Launch in the home interest and women's weekly markets. Odhams launched the
new monthly Ideal Home, Woman & home entered the market in 1926 majoring
on fiction. This presents IPC is further expanding and moving with the times. In
comparison with a singular upper class male newspaper, there are now
magazines that are targeted at working class women (home interest); this target
audience is clear because upper class women would not have to do house work
etc. themselves. As well as this the ‘Woman and Home’ magazine doesn’t have
as much of a specific audience; the target audience is women in general. This
marks the time period as women had to come together during the war. IPC
seems to be thinking with initiative as the way they publish and create the
magazines mirror the time period and aid in women reading similar things and
becoming similar. Before the war this would not be the case. The fact that IPC
increased their reach by targeting women shows that the company is in a way
revolutionary because it presents a significant change in history.
The 1932 launch of Woman's Own heralded the arrival of one of IPC's traditional
'Big Two', with the appearance of Woman following just five years later. This
release shows that the previous magazines were evidently successful and
therefore more similar magazines were released, their success shown from being
named ‘Big Two’. Newnes promoted its first issue of Woman's Own with a free
cover-mounted gift - three skeins of wool with every copy. This shows that they
are thinking about the target audience, e.g. what would persuade the target
audience to buy the magazine. Furthermore I think this shows the target
audience is working class because richer classes would not make their own
clothes or repair their own clothes. However this could also show that the target
audience was women who were still viewed as domestic housewives- they were
bored and doing this gave them something to do. For these reasons the
magazines were targeting working and middle class women because they can
use the prize for whatever they desire and the title is general as it doesn’t specify
what type of women in particular (working class or middle class).

3. Other titles launched in this decade included Caravan, Stamp Magazine and
Prediction. This presents that IPC are creating more magazines with a niche
target audience. Stamp magazine and Prediction are quite vague titles so it is
difficult to understand what the genre is (reinforcing the fact they were targeted at
a niche audience). However Caravan would be an extremely niche audience
especially because of the time period; cars and holidays were only for the rich
and upper classes.
1940’s- Wartime Woman's Own covers played their own part in rallying women to
the wartime cause. All publications during this time were classless, this is
because all women had to pull together and the publications printed during this
time reiterated this message. Due to the fact that the magazines worked in a way
that united women, not separated them, presents that IPC were constantly
thinking about the context (time) in which their magazine was being published.
This is effective for IPC because it results in more sales.
The upsurge in the music scene heralded the arrival of New Musical Express in
1952. NME is still an extremely popular music magazine today; it would even be
considered more of a brand name because it is so popular and world renowned.
The house style can easily be recognised and the house style has been imitated
in many newer music magazines. Because NME has been successful for now
over 60 years, it is suggestive that IPC is knowledgeable within this genre.
Moreover, the popularity of rock music (and similar) was at peak at this time, so
IPC is showing that it is aware of these events and notices trends- and acts on
them. IPC is once again presenting the fact that they are with the times. This
could imply that IPC is a suitable company for a new music magazine. The target
audience seems to have changed from only older generations to now younger
generations also. This marks a change as magazines can now have a teenager/
child target audience.
Following the arrival of ITV in 1955, TV Times published its first issue. This
shows IPC is modernising all the time, and marks the fact that it is becoming
more standard for people to have TV’s. Because this is still quite a new aspect to
most people, the 1950’s is when the boom of ‘normal’ people getting TV’s took
place. This target audience for the magazine would be extremely broad, as the
TV programmes vary. The target audience would be between children to middle
aged adults, male or female. This is clever of IPC because the target audience is
so general, the sales would be extensive.
1969 saw the birth of a new football weekly - Shoot!* this targets a younger
audience, because an older audience would get their football news from a news
source (possibly newspaper). This magazine was created because of interest in
the game generated by England's World Cup victory three years earlier. Today
football magazines are still popular and because this magazine was released
over 40 years ago it shows that IPC can seize an opportunity for success

4. promptly. Also it once again shows that IPC observes the social context of the
time period.
Other IPC titles making their debut in the Swinging Sixties included Rugby World,
World Soccer, Angler's Mail and Family Circle. This shows that more sports
magazines were being created in essence of Shoot! This is making the audience
much wider once again as IPC is now targeting fans of other sports too.
Furthermore family circle also has an extremely wide target audience as it is
aimed towards anyone who is in a family (which is literally everyone). IPC is
crafty with their promoting and marketing techniques, as they seem to always be
thinking on their feet about how they can broaden the target audience and
achieve more sales.
The Reed Group acquires IPC in 1970. The fact that IPC have merged with
another group shows that IPC is expanding which replicates the success IPC
has. This is important because the larger the company means that it has a larger
reach (a much larger audience). This increases the contacts IPC has making it
not only a more attractive company for magazine creators but also people
seeking work.
In the 1970’s, IPC welcomed the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to its King's
Reach Tower HQ. HRH drops in on Horse & Hound, Country Life, Woman and
Woman's Own, while Prince Philip makes a solo visit to Angler's Mail and
Yachting Monthly. This represents that IPC is an extremely popular company and
also quality. The fact that IPC had these visits represents that it is a trusted
company. IPC must be a really wide-span company with a wide demographic to
have received this visit.
(1970’s) Successful launches included Aeroplane Monthly*, Sporting Gun and
SuperBike. The few of these launches that are travel related show that times are
once again modernising; more people are taking interest in the technological
advances of the time. These types of magazines differ to other magazines IPC
have produce such as Woman’s Weekly magazines, displaying how IPC is
adaptable.
1980s
Launch the UK edition of the international title Marie Claire in 1988. This marks a
huge success for IPC, as this is such a popular magazine still today. This shows
that the company is building up a name for itself, as more and more companies
seem to merge together.
In one of the most dramatic arrivals in publishing history, revolutionary lads title
Loaded (1990’s). This shows that IPC is moving with the times again and
constantly modernising. The target audience is a completely different
demographic, as stereotypically more educated men will want to read magazines

5. and read about their hobbies whereas less educated men will never read a
magazine- however ‘Loaded’ now challenges this stereotype. IPC have once
again gained a wider audience.
Real Life weekly for women, January 2005. This is another recreation of
previously successful magazines; the name ‘real life’ suggests that the target
audience is for the working class women, which is the majority of the population.
In Feb 2007 - Look - the UK's first glossy high street fashion and celebrity style
weekly magazine. Because Look is a high street fashion and celebrity style
magazine the target audience is clearly working class women again. This
suggests the women’s weekly magazines are successful. It is because of the
high street fashion element that shows the class of the female audience.
New digital media brands such as: housetohome, goodtoknow and shootinguk.
This presents that IPC moves with the times, to stay with the changing audience.
Not only is it easier to have a copy of a magazine digitally rather than paper, and
it is also good for the environment. As well as this it makes it easier for the
readers to buy the magazine; they don’t even need to leave the house.
In June 2011, IPC Connect launches a major new brand Feelgood games -
targeting mass-market mums. This is unusual and brave for IPC to do, as
stereotypically games are targeted at younger generations and predominantly
male. This represents that IPC are trying to diversify and take risks with their
products now.
2. Why might Times Inc be an appropriate publisher for a new music magazine?
I feel IPC would be a suitable company for the first edition of a new music magazine
because over the years the company have been able to change and update with the
times, and have successful magazines within opposite genres, for example the
company began with one Newspaper then branched out to Amateur Gardening and
Women’s Weekly. All of these magazines have opposing genres and target
audiences. I feel that this shows IPC’s ability to change with the times and to have
various magazines with various audiences. Furthermore because of the vast
amount of magazines the company has, I believe that the company will have a large
reach, which is beneficial for a new magazine, the website states their magazines
have ‘captivated millions of people around the world’.
Another reason why I think that IPC will be a suitable company for the new magazine
is because one of the most iconic and successful music magazines: ‘NME’, is one of
their brands. NME is a world famous, successful music magazine, which many other
music magazines copy the style of. NME has been running since 1952, so for over

6. 50 years it has been one of the greatest magazines and brand names in the history
of music magazines. Furthermore, NME is the only music magazine published by
IPC, therefore there isn’t a lot of other competition. If the music magazine were to
follow in NME’s footsteps it would be extremely successful, therefore I think that the
new magazine can trust that IPC has the sufficient experience.
In the past, IPC have easily modified with the audiences and times, starting off being
a minor company, rapidly forming in to a now global company. In the beginning they
had a target audience of just men, now they are targeting countless different
audiences, with over 100 TimeInc brands. One of the notable turns within IPC’s
history, that I like, is the fact that they were innovative; by targeting women.
Publishing magazines like: Marie Claire, Chat and Mizz appeals to me because the
music magazine will not have a specific gender based target audience unlike
magazines and newspapers that were published over 100 years ago. Because IPC
does have a reach of a male and female audience this would be appropriate for the
new magazine. I think that this would work in synergy with IPC’s goals as it is a
modern way of thinking, and like the history illustrates IPC moves with the times.
3. What sorts of genres of music/types of magazines might they be likely to publish?
Due to the flexibility in the company’s magazine types ranging from specialist
magazines with niche audiences to magazines with wide audiences. IPC seems like
they can easily adjust depending on what type of magazine they’re dealing with, and
because they have such a vast and diverse range of magazines. Therefore, for these
reasons I don’t think that IPC would have a music genre set in stone.
However, it is possible that IPC would be interested in a magazine in the same
music genre as NME (rock, alternative and indie), due to the huge success of the
magazine.
Nevertheless, due to IPC’s innovative moves over time, it is foreseeable that they
would be willing to take a risk. For example in ‘June 2011 IPC Connect launches a
major new brand Feelgood games - targeting mass-market mums.’ This is an
unusual target audience for gaming reinforcing that IPC takes risks.
4. Why might alternative publishers like Bauer be appropriate?

7. Ludolph Bauer who published the Rothenburgsorter newspaper founded Bauer in
Hamburg in 1875. This is a similar beginning to IPC who also began with publishing
a newspaper. Alike to IPC, Bauer’s target audience would have been upper class
men, as in this time period women would still have been viewed as domestic
housewives.
After the Second World War (post 1945) the publishing house begins to become
more successful, and works with program and youth magazines. This represents that
Bauer are beginning to embark on their success that is still thriving today. The fact
that Bauer has published a youth magazine shows that they are willing to take
chances, as youth magazines would obviously have a young target audience, and
before now, they would not be one of the main focuses for target audience. This is
because most young people didn’t have a disposable income, especially not in this
time period. This highlights the fact that Bauer took a chance publishing these
magazines. In comparison to other companies, Bauer was early in its leap to a
young target audience, for example, IPC published NME in 1952 and Shoot! In 1969,
and from there on more were created. The fact Bauer had done this so early
demonstrates that they were innovatively thinking.
In 1953 there was the launch of Angling Times and the acquisition in 1956 of Motor
Cycle News, these two iconic magazines are still in Bauer’s portfolio today. These
specialist titles show that Bauer is successful enough to aim towards a niche
audience, which could mean the magazine may not have as many sales. As well as
this, similar magazine titles (or genres) weren’t added to IPC until the 1970’s, which
is a great difference in time. This suggests that Bauer were ahead of times,
advanced thinkers and trendsetters. Bauer even states on its website (regarding
themselves): ‘innovative, new markets, new concepts: new ideas for the magazine
market? Why, surely! We know the trends,’ this proves to be true.
In the 1970’s, Bauer developed the first women’s weekly magazines. This is still a
popular part of today’s magazine industry. This shows that Bauer recognises that it
would be a success, they were innovatively thinking. These types of magazines were
not released until later on, reiterating my previous point.
In 1990, the seeds of Bauer Media’s radio business were planted with the acquisition
of London dance station KISS FM. This would be appropriate for a new music
magazine as it already has experience within the music fields. As well as this, they
have a more specific reach to the target audience, as they would be able to promote
the new magazine to music fans. In comparison to IPC Bauer has much more
experience within the music genre.
In 2005, Britain’s first weekly glossy, Grazia, was launched. Bauer’s Women’s
Weekly magazines include Take A Break, which has long been the UK’s best-selling
women’s weekly title, and TV Choice, the UK’s biggest selling magazine. This shows

8. that Bauer is proactive with the success and has recognisable magazine names
within its company.
Now in its fifth generation of family ownership, the Bauer Media Group operates in
19 countries and has 11,000 employees worldwide. This presents that Bauer has a
wide reach of an audience and has plenty of contacts, which may be interested in a
new magazine. Because of the number of links Bauer has it is apparent that a new
magazine would get the promotion it needed. In the UK Bauer reaches over 25
million consumers. Today they are Britain’s biggest magazine publisher. Bauer have
obviously been successful within their publishing overtime, they are experienced,
and their history suggests they would be able to support a new magazine.
Today we operate 81 commercial local, national and digital stations in the UK,
including Absolute Radio, Magic and KISS. Because they operate radio stations
varying in their music genres, it implies that a music magazine would be in the right
place as they already have the right audiences, the right demographic for promotion
and contacts within the music industry.