Different types of magazine work in different ways

The important point that different kinds of magazine work in different ways has been brought out by many surveys - among them the “Media Values” survey conducted by RSL-Research Services Ltd and published by IPC Magazines [9].

“Media Values” asked a sample of 1808 adults aged 15-64 whether they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements as applied to each of 26 categories of magazine.

Comparing two of the statements makes the point. One statement was “I read this magazine as a special treat”. The magazine categories whose readers agreed most with this statement were:

• Young women’s monthlies 75% agreed
• Fashion beauty & hair monthlies 74%
• House & home monthlies 66%
• Home & family monthlies 65%
• General weeklies 63%
• Romantic magazines 62%
• Football magazines 61%

A very different ranking emerged for the contrasting statement “I have learned a lot from this magazine”:

• Gardening 92% agreed
• General weeklies 91%
• Dieting and slimming 88%
• Nature/animals 88%
• Men’s style magazines 84%
• General women’s monthlies 82%
• Fishing/angling 82%

The first list comprises magazines whose function includes providing material with which one might curl up for a treat, while the second list gives magazines whose function is substantially different - geared more towards information-provision.  Only general weeklies appear in both lists.

The full range of attitude statements brings home how very different the various categories of magazine are. They are used in different ways, for different purposes. They are very well adapted to their readers’ particular needs. The implication can be drawn that a special relationship grows up between people and the magazines they choose to read. Readers become involved with their magazines.