The document analyzes four potential media institutions that could distribute a new music magazine: Bauer Media Group, BBC Magazines, Development Hell LTD, and IPC Media. Bauer Media Group is selected as it is a well-established global distribution company with experience distributing music magazines. It has vertical and lateral integration through its music television channels, allowing for easy promotion of a new music magazine to the intended demographic. Though BBC Magazines and IPC Media are large companies, their existing magazines seem to target different audiences than a new broadcast music magazine. Development Hell LTD is smaller but has expertise in similar niche music magazines.

1. 3. What kind of m ed ia
institution m ight d istribute
your m ed ia prod uct and why?

2. M ed ia
The distribution of the magazine is just as vital as the production, if the magazines don’t get distributed
Institutions
well, the magazine obviously won’t be successful. This means the correct media institution has to be
chosen. There are lots of things to be taken into consideration for example lateral and vertical
integration. For example, do the media institutions have elements of other types of media, BBC have
TV and distribute magazines. This increases their intertexutlaity as they focus of many different areas
of the media, increasing their promotion, this all effects the sales of the magazines. If the distribution
companies have different interests and are involved with aspects of music as well, this will help the
magazine due to gifts and helpful deals increasing interest.
There are four main media institutions, these are Baur Media Group, BBC Magazines, Development
Hell LDT and IPC Media. As I said, the distribution is vital, so in order to know which one would be most
suitable for my magazine, I had to research these four to make a final conclusion.

3. Bauer M ed ia
Group
Bauer Media Group is a multinational media group company with its headquarters in Germany,
although operates worldwide. It’s a massive organisation with worldwide circulation of the magazines
adding up to 38 million magazines a week.
The institution also has a 50% stake in the British telephone company Box Television and 4 Music.
These produce several music channels that are popular across the board including, Q TV, 4Music, Kiss
TV, Kerrang! TV and SmashHits! TV. This provides evidence to show that they have vertical integration
because they produce music TV channels. This provides them with the power and opportunity to
promote the music magazines also because they’re already producing media aimed at the
demographic, especially with channels such as Kerrang and Q that are like the genre I’m aiming my
magazine at. Bauer’s media brand also include Q and Kerrang! Showing the speciality in music
magazines near my genre.

4. BBC M agazines
BBC are obviously a well known worldwide institution that once again has vertical and lateral integration
meaning a far bigger distribution base. They are well known for TV, having many key channels but also
for radio, reflecting back to music once more. The bigger broadcast companies are more successful
than niche due to having more power and connections.
However, BBC have been seen to produce mainly pop magazines such as ‘It’s Hot’ and ‘Top of The
Pops’. When I was researching, I discovered that these weren’t as popular anymore. This could affect
the overall distribution of the magazines.

5. D evelopm ent H ell
L TD
Development Hell Limited is an independent media company based in Islington, London. Unlike Buaur,
this is a smaller company, although they’re known for publishing ‘The Word’ and ‘MixMag’. These are
from a smaller niche company in comparison to others as they’re genres that sway more towards the
niche market. For example, ‘MixMag’ is a dance and clubbing magazine, where as ‘The Word’ is an art
and entertainment based magazine.
However, there is once more lateral and vertical integrations as they acquired DontStayIn.com, the
worlds biggest clubbing social network, that meant they could gain more promotion and interest on this.
Respected operators are also involved in the distribution, for example, director of Q and SmashHits,
David Hepworth, so although they may not distribute the most broadcast magazines, they have good
experience and knowledge on board.

6. IPC M ed ia
IPC are the parent company of Time Inc. and is a digital publisher in the UK selling over 350 million
copies each year. IPC’s diverse print and digital portfolio focuses on three core audiences, men, mass
market women and upmarket women. They publish ‘Connect’, ‘Southbank’ for upmarket women and
‘Inspire’ being aimed at men. This shows the female/male gaze that they will find ways to aim it at each
of them using different techniques to reach to the demographic.
By being part of Time Warner, this automatically establishes IPC as a main distribution company as
Time Warner is a massive distribution company. It’s evident that Time Warner buy into the smaller
niche companies to create overall dominance and lateral integration across distribution.

7. O verall..
After analysing all the possibilities, I’ve come to the conclusion that the media institution I would use
would be Baur Media Group. Firstly, they are a well established distribution group and have a good
record of selling magazines. They have evidence of lateral and vertical integration meaning more ways
to promote my magazine for example, on the many music channels as this would be able to hit most of
my demographic quickly and easily. Due to my magazine being a broadcast magazine I thought it
would be sensible to go with a large distribution company due to them having power and control.
Finally, they also have experience with large well established music magazines so have experience in
the market for my magazine so it would be in good hands. For example, BBC Magazines are often seen
as a more ‘mature’ company and hit the adult demographic rather than the younger demographic.