2. What types of magazine and target audiences has IPC
been associated with over the years?
Throughout the years IPC has been associated with many different magazines and target audiences, such as;
Horse and Hound, Shooting Times, Yachting world, Amateur Gardening, Cycling Weekly, Amateur Photography
and The railway magazine. All of these magazines are related to a hobby, so the audience for these magazines
would be people who are interested in the types of magazine – the target audience would be of a middle class
/ upper class background as all of these hobbies would be associated with those classes. To buy these
magazines you would need to have some disposable income. All of these magazines seem to have a Male
target audience as they’re all stereotypically male hobbies. On a whole the target audience for these types of
IPCs magazines are wealthy middle class men with an interest in the magazine they chose to buy. As well as
this, IPC do a range of health and lifestyle magazines with a target audience for women – the age range for this
type of magazine would be between 16 – 30, again with disposable income therefore in the middle class
bracket. IPC has a wide range of magazine genres, such as country pursuits, fashion and beauty, home interest,
sports/leisure, woman’s weeklies, TV entertainment, and young men & music. On a whole everyone who buys
these types of magazines will have some interest in the type of magazine that they’re buying. Majority of the
audiences will be of a middle / upper class background with some sort of disposable income to entertain
themselves with these magazines.
3. Why might IPC be an appropriate publisher for a new
music magazine?
IPC would be an appropriate publisher for a new music magazine as they are
well known and are established in the publishing industry. They target a niche
market , focusing on a niche audience. As well as this, they have a lot of
experience with NME magazine as they have been publishing this for over 60
years successfully, with their experience they will be able to adapt what they
know from publishing NME to publish another music magazine perhaps of a
different genre. This would allow them to further their audience reach to a
wider span. I would choose IPC to publish my magazine as they have
experience and already have a brand name that is well known in the industry.
4. What sort of genres of music/types of magazines might
they be likely to publish?
I think that if IPC were to produce a new music magazine then they would most likely to produce
a pop and chart music magazine. I think this as IPC have a lot of experience in publishing women's
weeklies magazines – the main target audience for a pop/chart music magazine would be
teenage girls/young adults and with this previous experience they will be able to adapt their
knowledge to fit what the audience wants to read.
Another option for a magazine would be to re invent the NME magazine. This is because sales
have been at their lowest ever recently, therefore by entering a similar product into the industry
they will be boosting the sales overall, the company know that there is an audience for this type
of music and that there is a space in the market so by going up as competition against themselves
may be more appropriate than letting another company take the market share for this magazine
genre.
5. Why might alternative publishers like
Bauer be appropriate?
Other companies such as Bauer and BBC publishing may be appropriate to produce a
new music magazine as they have more experience and a wider range of magazines
with a higher income into their companies. As well as this Bauer publishes ‘Kerrang!’
magazine which is not only the UK’s best rock selling magazine, but the worlds.
Therefore the magazine companies can ensure that their magazines are being
published in the hands of someone who has experience. As well as this, customers
may be more willing to buy the new music magazine if they had no interest in Kerrang!
But knew of the success that the magazine had and how popular it was.
Bauer have a very large overall target audience. However most of their individual
magazines have a specific niche market such as kerrang!
NME lost 24% in sales in the last few years which would put companies off wanting
their magazine to be published by someone in the same industry as the, whereas
Bauer has been more successful in recent years.
