Friday, 24 February 2012

24TH FEB 2012

RESEARCHING A NICHE MAGAZINE


ABC : audit bureau of circulations 


A NICHE magazine is a magazine about a sub-genre of a major genre which as a lot of depth to it. Niche magazines have many different pros and cons which drive them publication.


PROS: 

  • the audience they are targeting will be far more loyal and committed to buying the magazine each week
  • the magazine will have more specific content
CONS:
  • niche magazines means their target audience will be smaller
  • smaller audiences means smaller income
  • can't include much variation

I am now going to look and study a niche magazine and look at the sales, marketing and publications. 


Cross Stitcher is an example of a niche magazine. It sells around 38,684 magazines ever six months and last years sales decreased by -18.7%. Sales probably dropped because one; this is a very niche hobby and so will have a small target audience and two; because it is such a rare hobby and we're in a recession people wont be able to spend money on leisure activities. Another reason cross stitching magazines are going "out of fashion" is because people will be spending more money on the equipment they need and not wasting it on magazines when all the information people can pay for from the magazine they can get for free from the internet. 
However, although Cross Stitcher is decreasing in sales, two similar magazines; The World of Cross Stitching and Cross Stitch Crazy, both owned by Immediate Media Company, sales have increased. 
Immediate Media Company also own many other magazines, some associated with the BBc therefore although they are publishing a niche magazine, have a huge backing which will able to publicise the magazines more, making people more aware of them. This therefore explains their sale increases. Future Publishing, on the other hand, own Cross Stitcher who have decreased. Future Publishing owns a lot of computer and television based magazines and so wont be "showing off" cross stitching as much. 

The magazine to the right is the cover of the magazine I have been discussing. Its typical niche target audience is going to be women and that is most probably the reason the colour theme is based around pink and yellow and is covered in flowers and girly fonts. There are  several sale lines and promotional images which they could be doing to bring in and interest new readers. 


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