IPC Media is a large British publishing company formed in 1963 through the merger of several magazine publishers. It publishes over 350 million magazines annually across a wide range of genres, targeting both male and female UK audiences. Notable in IPC's long history are the launch of several popular women's magazines in the 1930s and the acquisition of larger magazine portfolios throughout the 1990s and 2000s, growing the company significantly. However, for a new music magazine, competing against IPC's established NME title would be difficult, so a smaller publisher may be a better choice.

1. 1
IPC Media
Publishing CorporationResearch

2. 2
Who are they
• IPC stands for International Publishing Corporation and they are a British publishing company.
• The sell over 350 million copies of magazines each year
• The company was formed in 1933 and its headquarters are in London
• As well as producing millions of magazines each year they also produce media through mobile
technologies, online websites, printed publications and by also holding events.
• They have an award winning online portfolio of magazines they have published and online articles.
This portfolio has reached 25 million every month, globally.
• The company has made a commitment to work well and professionally with its partners. Including
people like, consumers, advertisers, business partners and employees to provide the best service
possible and the best quality magazines.

3. Audiences
Their main audiences are adults and they aim to reach over 25 million UK adults. 43% of these adults
are women leaving the other 57% as UK men.
IPC has a very very wide audience range which targets UK men and women.
There are many different section that their magazines fall under and this widens the appeal to the
audience, making it bigger.
Some of the main audiences that they have targeted throughout their history are
•Families, women and home, after the war.
•Men in recent years with magazines like Nuts.
•TV and Radio viewers

4. History
• 1853 – The Field was launched, a magazine company that was later to join forces with the field.
• 1854 – The Field is now the largest magazine in Europe
• 180S – Eight further IPC covers were released. They are still going today and have stood the test
of time as they are still very popular within their audience bracket. These titles include Country Life,
Horse & Hound, Shooting Times, Yachting World and The Railway Magazine.
• 1911 – Women’s Weelkies was released in this year. It is a magazine that is recognised all around
the world and is still recognised today.
• 1921 – the first issue of Woman and Home was published. This was significant as it was right after
the first world war. The first issue included an article called ‘Wash at home with a washing
machine’.
• 1930 – This was the year when 2 main women’s magazines were released. This is poignant
because this was the time, after the war, when women were being heard in society for the first time
and women were fighting for things like civil rights and women’s independence. The magazines
were called Woman and Women’s Own.
• 1939 - women's magazines were still playing a large roll with in post war time society and the
magazine industry.
• 1952 - the music scene was now much bigger than before with other forms of media like Radio
Luxembourg at its peak and then the arrival of NME magazine made a mark.

5. 5
History
• 1963 – International Publishing Corporation originally formed. George Newnes, Odhams Press and
Fleetway Publications all came together and made a partnership to work and they created the IPC
together.
• 1969 - Arrival of Football Weekly
• 1970 - The Reed Group took ownership of IPC
• 1976 - The formation of a new ‘video division’ happened due to the recent developments in
technology.
• 1989 - TVTimes was taken over by IPC Media after developments with TV were made and the
magazine became more appropriate.
• 1994 – The Field joined with the IPC making it a bigger and more sucsessful company than ever
before.
• 1995 - ITV came into production and triggered many other magazines like TVTimes to arrive and
others to rise in popularity
• 1998 - The IPC was sold to another buyer Chinven for £860 million. this was one of the larges
buyouts in UK history, let alone in the magazine industry
• 2001 - The Time Warner took over IPC Media for £1.15 billion.
• 2007 - IPC launches their first glossy fashion magazine. this was their biggest ever launch and they
did it in a partnership with Marie Claire backed by an £18 billion investment.
• 2008 - The company’s first free gaming site is launched including over 200 games.
• 2011 - IPC released ‘feel good games’ targeted at mums.

6. 6
What do they publish
Brands and Magazines:
•Women's Weeklies – Chat, Women’s Own IPC Connect
•TV Entertainment – Soap Life, What’s On TV
•Lifestyle – Essentials, Food
•Equestrian and country – Horse and Hound, Eventing
•Sports and Leisure – Amateur Gardening Cycle Sport IPC Inspire
•Young Men and Music – NME, Nuts
•Home Interest – 25 Beautiful Homes, Beautiful Kitchens IPC Sounthbank
•Fashion and Beauty - Instyle, Look
•Teen – Teen Now

7. Good for me?
• If I used IPC to produce my music magazine I would have to make sure that they aren't currently
publishing another magazine of that genre.
• Although the company would already have experience in that category it would be better if i went
for a company that didn't already produce a music magazine as then i wouldn't be competing
against the original magazine.
• I have concluded that even though IPC is an amazing company with lots of experience it would be
to difficult to be up against NME as it is one of the most successful music magazines ever.
• As an alternative I would look for a small company that isn’t already producing a magazine of my
genre that would better suit my task.