Magazines

Magazines surviving the technology era
Almost all of us can say that we have read or skimmed through at least five magazines in our lifetime, if not hundreds or thousands of magazines. With an unimaginable variety how could one not? Magazines started its wild journey in 1741 with Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Bradford publishing “General Magazine” and “American Magazine” both of which were America’s first magazines. Both of these magazines were very general magazines but soon led to the concoction of very specific magazines, magazines such as sports, fashion, cooking, décor, trade, business and many other specified magazines became trendier in the magazine field. Many fear the gradual the decaying of printed magazines due to the technology replacing it with online editions and subscriptions available on kindles, computers, nooks and even cellular devices. However magazines are going no where and will survive this massive technology takeover era due to its uniqueness in portability, sentimental value, and successfully complements other mediums and target specific demographics. Magazines may have started out very general in earlier on but took on a very specific role, by becoming more and more specified to target a specific audience. This method proved to be very successful and is one of the major reasons that magazines will survive. Magazines consist of three divisions; consumer magazines; magazines that are sold in newsstands, grocery stores and other public stores. The second is trade, technical and profession magazines, and most people that read these magazines read in to learn more about the field of career or business that they are in. Lastly are company magazines, these magazines are designed and created by a specific company for employees, customers and other associations of the company. Out of all these magazines consumer magazines are the ones that are said to sell the best because there is a specific consumer magazine for anyone. An individual who is into cooking would easily pick up a bon appetite or food network magazine, or say someone who wants to decorate or so could get a décor magazine. Magazines are so specific and defined that if someone wants to decorate their home in order to impress their new southern in-laws a “southern living magazine” would be a lifesaver. Fashion magazines are in the multitude created specifically for every different kind of fashionista and every different season or occasion of the year. Magazines are concocted to target specific cultures, demographics, preferences and needs. Magazines will continue to become more and more specified to increase the rate of publication and sales. As the word is constantly changing, so are trends which means that fashion lovers are constantly demanding new updated magazines. Magazines are one of the easiest things to drop in your bag or fold and put in your pocket to pass time on your train or bus or where ever it is your going. It is one of the most conveniently portable printed mediums out there. As mentioned before, because magazines are specific, one can easily grab a magazine that they would be interested in on that day and read it wherever. Though be have many technological devices that can keep us entertained, magazines never lose power and shut down like our cellphones and ipads do. One can always rely on a magazine no matter where you go. They are available everywhere we go, grocery stores, newsstands and even for us new Yorkers in the underground subway shops. We also take much pleasure in reading them at the doctors office along with any other waiting room we end up in. Wherever we go magazines will always be there. It is also quite affordable and one can easily underline and make notes on a magazine and even gather very imperative inspiration from magazines. In order for someone to read a magazine from there ipad, you must have purchases one to begin with. Many of us still don’t own ipads nor do we plan on it. As human beings having a tangible item that belongs solely to us is very imperative and meaningful. There is something wonderful about owning your own series of the harry potter books than reading it your nook or ipad. The same goes go magazines, because magazines are designed so specifically for each individual, it feels very important to us, because it contains things that are so closely related to us as a person and our likes and preferences. There is nothing else like cuddling up on the couch with your favorite choice of hot beverage rereading one of your very own magazines. Some people collect magazines and reread them over and over again whenever they wish even if it’s a year after it was published. They can write all over it if they please because its their property. Its not something you have to read through a medium size or tiny screen but something you can touch, feel, smell, turn, flip or do pretty much anything you wish to do with it because it is a real tangible item. Many people even rip out coupons from magazines. Because printed magazines are an actual printed item many people have the ability to share it with their friends or coworkers whenever they feel like it. Lastly one major and vital reason that magazines will make it through this technology era is quoted by the text “Magazines survive because they complement the other media and have their own special benefits”. Tons of consumer magazines contain vast pictures and content of popular television an movie stars. This is due to the fact that much of our culture is inspired by Hollywood and the media as well as vice versa. And magazines are created to match our life style and what most of our lives revolve around. With magazines we can know where our favorite stars or plain controversial stars are going, doing and even what they are wearing. A fan or even a critic of Kim Kardashian could seen a magazine of her on the front page of the peoples magazine at check out and easily buy it without any premeditated plan.
A huge reason that magazines will survive is because of ample amount of advertisement that magazines contain. These advertisements are what help and keep magazines running. Advertisers are able to reach consumers more powerfully and successfully through magazines than any other medium. A company can use the face of Nicole Kidman or Natalie Portman to advertise their new Dior facial line. This complements the diode company as well as Natalie Portman’s movie star career making her more likeable and popular. Most often if advertisements as seen in magazines along with other very creditable designers and movie stars, consumers become more drawn to the product. Hence why advertisers are willing to pay tons for their item or company to be advertised in a magazine. Consumers are just as interested in the advertisements in the magazine along with the rest of the content.
“The water is so warm for the magazine industry that in the first nine months of the year, 181 new magazines were launched while only about a third as many, or 61, closed, according to publication database MediaFinder.com,” (Trinity Tripod). More magazines are being launched and published than those that are closing. Magazines will continue to become more specified and as this continues the more likelihood that it will survive. Magazines are a very comforting, convenient and tangible tradition that will refuse to die even with the acceleration of the technology use. Many will try reading a magazine on their kindle, ipad or phone but because of the many benefits of a magazine they will always turn to a nicely printed magazine that was created just for them.