Bauer media would be the best institution to distribute the media product because they already publish a similar magazine called Q and would benefit from expanding their portfolio. Distributing another similar magazine would help Bauer media reduce competition and earn revenue regardless of consumer choice. Bauer also has existing connections to the target audience that would help the product reach potential buyers. Their size also means they could provide more support with promotions to aid the new magazine's success.

1. EVALUATION: Q3 - Which
media institution might
distribute your media product
and why?

3. A media institution is an establishment, body or company that are involved with the creation and
distribution of advertising, entertainment and information services.
Whilst doing my research I looked at Bauer media and Warner media. Bauer media publish both Q
magazine - the magazine most similar to mine and KERRANG! magazine - the magazine which is the
most dissimilar to mine. Warner media publish Rolling Stone magazine which, in some ways is similar
to ONE magazine however targeted at a more mature audience.
Because Bauer media publish Q magazine it would benefit both myself and Bauer media to distribute
my magazine. If Bauer were to distribute my magazine they would be expanding their vertical
integration - meaning they own several variations of the same product, which is beneficial to them as
they are reducing competition and they will receive revenue regardless of the consumers choice of
magazine. Because it would be in Bauer medias interest to reduce competition they may offer a better
contract over distributing my magazine then other institutions. Another benefit to me would be that
Bauer media will have existing connections to Q magazine target audience, which is effectively my
target audience - therefore they would be able to make my product most accessible to its potential
buyers. With Bauer medias connections my magazine would also have the option to be published
worldwide if desired. With the size and power of Bauer media, I would receive more help with
giveaways and competitions which would attract more buyers and aid the success of my magazine.
IPC (international publishing company) distributing my magazine would also have its benefits.
Although its not as big as Bauer media, the only similar magazine they distribute is NME which has
more defined differences to my magazine then Q for example. This would open a possibility of stealing
some of Bauer medias market share as existing readers of their magazine might switch to ONE
magazine, because of this they may be inclined to either offer a better contract then Bauer media or
work closely with me to ensure ONE magazines success. Naturally the disadvantage of choosing IPC
is that they have less power and may not be able to push my product into the mass market like Bauer
media can.
Therefore, taking into consideration the connections, benefits and disadvantage of choosing both
institutions. My first choice would be Bauer media as they will be able to push my product to the mass
market and through existing suppliers to its target audience, they would be able to aid ONE magazine
with better giveaways and concert/festival coverage and they would also be inclined to give me a
competitive contract in light of them reducing the competition which will result if another institution
were to distribute ONE magazine.