Evaluation: Question 3

1. EvaluationQuestion3:
What kind of media institution might
distributeyour media product and why?

2. Independent or Major Publisher?
Advantages of Independent Disadvantages of Independent
More willing to take risks to boost creativity as they
are not solely driven by profit.
Less well known; people may not relate them to other
hugely successful magazines and could be reluctant to
purchase as they may not believe it is a reliable
institution.
Fits my Indie genre as it is not mainstream and
therefore gives the opportunity for my magazine to
be a more truly authentic, Indie product through their
cultural creativity and passion for your particular
magazine.
Less driven by profit meaning less profit will be
generated as they focus on what a music lover wants
to read, not what will make money.
More interested in making the reader happy with
what they read rather than what will make the most
money.
Where major publishers are dealing with hundreds of
magazines at once, independent publishers are more
likely to be able to give more of their undivided
attention to your product in particular.

3. Independent or Major Publisher?
Advantages of Major Disadvantages of Major
More driven by profits and therefore will implement
techniques to generate huge profits.
Dealing with hundreds of magazines all at once,
therefore meaning that less focus will be put on your
particular magazine.
Built up a reputation after publishing hundreds of
hugely successful magazines and will therefore be
viewed by the audience as a reliable publisher.
As I am creating an Indie magazine, their knowledge of
the genre may be less authentic and therefore result in
a more mainstream, profit driven product as opposed
to an authentic Indie product bursting with cultural
creativity and a passion for the reader’s interests.
More interested in making money rather than making
the reader happy.
Less willing to take risks which could boost creativity of
the product as they know what conventions make the
most profit and therefore will stick solely to these.

4. Final Choice: Independent
Why?
 Considering I am creating an Indie music magazine, I believe that those working for an
independent publisher will have much more authentic, first hand knowledge of the
genre and a true passion for Indie music and making its artists heard by a truly
passionate, interested fan base.
 Due to the small amount of magazines of which they will be publishing at any one
time, they will be able to put a heavy focus onto promoting my particular magazine
and creating a product of which readers will want to buy again and again.
 As they are less driven by profit, they will be more willing to take risks which could
boost the cultural creativity of the finished product which could result in a positive
increase in sales and profits, as well as reader enjoyment.
 The fact that they are less driven by profit is important for my genre as it is much more
about a small, exclusive group of people who truly have a passion for the music they
listen to as opposed to a mass audience who just simply enjoy mainstream music.
 I understand the importance of generating some profit and I believe that this would
still be possible through starting out with a low magazine price, making it available to
everyone, but having my independent publisher sell to a range of different companies
wishing to advertise to an exclusive audience who will have a deep interest in the
product that they are selling.

5. Independent Publisher
 Independent publishing institution based in Islington, London.
 Revived “MixMag” after it was dropped by a major publisher in 1983, and
DeCosmo, the owner of the company, said that their idea for the hybrid
dance/electro music magazine was to “turn it back into a credible, respected
magazine again. One that people trusted.”
 Also publish “Word,” a magazine focusing on the rock genre which was awarded
“UK Magazine of the Year” in 2007 and again in 2008. This highlights the success
of Development Hell’s current publications.
 Although neither of these magazines currently published are of the Indie genre,
I believe that this would be an advantage as it would make my magazine one of a
kind and eradicate competition inside the publishing company. They would be
able to solely focus on “Wallflower” and market it as their only Indie music
magazine.
 Development Hell also have a great sense of reliability for the reader considering
the success of both “Mixmag” and “Word” magazine.