Question 3: What king of media institution might distribute your media product and

why?

I am going to research and compare different media institutions; this is so that I can decide which media institution should distribute my magazine. I am not only going to look at the large, successful institutions but independent institutions too. This is because I need to understand which would be best to distribute my music magazine. This is important as I need to make sure the magazine successfully reaches the audience I am targeting.

A media institution is an established and usually a profit based organisation; that deals in the creation, construction and distributing of advertisement in entertainment services. Therefore an institution that deals with magazines, helps create and distribute the magazine. Examples of an institution that helps make magazines would be Time Inc, Bauer, Future etc.

( )Time Inc. UK (formerly International Publishing Corporation and IPC Media), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc. It is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. They engage with almost half of all UK adults in print and reach over 28 million global users every month on their websites. Time Inc. have over 60 iconic media brands that captivate and inspire millions of people every day across print, online, mobile, tablets and experiences. Some of their brands include NME, Marie Claire, Woman & Home, Uncut and many more. This shows that Time Inc. are very successful and know a lot about the industry. So they will be able to distribute my product in print and digital copies. Also their existing products are very popular and are available in supermarkets across the country. This is something I want for my product.

Prometheus Global Media (formerly e5 Global Media) is New York City-based media company. The company was formed in December 2009, when Nielsen Company sold its entertainment and media division. The company owns and operates a number of major entertainment industry trade publications, including Adweek, Back Stage, Billboard, Film Journal International, and The Hollywood Reporter. I looked at the statics and figures of Billboard magazine I did this because it is a music magazine; so therefore will show me how successful my magazine would be if under this institution. It has a total readership of 48,000 and its average net worth is $100 million. This shows me the magazine is very popular and has generated a lot of money. With there only being one music magazine under this institution I know that there is a gap for my product to fill, if I choose this particular institution.

Bauer Media Group is a large European-based media company, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany that manages a portfolio of more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 radio and TV stations around the world. The portfolio extends to include print shops, postal, distribution and marketing services. Bauer Media Group has a workforce of approximately 11,000 employees in 17 countries. They have many different brands including Grazia, Motor

Cycle News, MOJO, Q, Kerrang! and many more. This shows me that Bauer know the music industry well and know how to market products. This is because MOJO, Q and Kerrang! are all popular and successful music magazines. Their slogan “we think popular” shows that they strive for all of their products to be popular and well known. The music magazines Kerrang! and MOJO they distribute are of my genre. This shows that they understand how to market indie music magazines. With Kerrang’s circulation being 33,024 and MOJO’s being 70,667 (paper copies only).

Independent media refers to any form of media, such as radio, television, newspapers or the Internet, that is free of influence by government or corporate interests. The term has varied applications. Within the United States and other developed countries, it is often used synonymously with alternative media to refer to media that specifically distinguish themselves in relation to the mainstream media. In international development, the term independent media is used in relation to the development of new media outlets, particularly in areas where there is little to no existing media presence. To look at independent institutions I looked at and researched many different independent music magazines. Most of these where webzines and were free for public to look at or order a free print copy. I looked at The Crack, So Young, Wire, Under the Radar and Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interview. Its focus is on independent music, especially indie rock. However it also covers other genres. It receives 240,000 readers per day. I do not think I am going to have an independent institution for my product, this is because it only targets a niche audience and usually offers the product for free. However I want to make a profit and reach a mass audience. Therefore I will not be using an independent.

I want C86 to have a website and to be available digitally. To do this I will have to have be with another institution. To see which institution I want for my magazine, I have researched existing magazines. I did this to see who they had deals and partnerships with. First I looked at NME who have partnerships with many different companies including the Kindle Fire App Store, Apple App Store, Android App Store, Kobo, Lekiosk, Magazines Direct, Nook and Zinio. This makes the digital copy more accessible to the audience and therefore is appealing to a mass audience. With the magazine being available on all of these media platforms, it allows many different people to view and read the magazine on their different technological devices. My product C86 is going to have its own app, this will be available on kindle, apple and android app stores. This is because most young people (my target audience) will own a device with one of these app stores on it, therefore I am making it accessible and attractive to them as consumers. My magazine has a website this will allow for a mass audience to view, watch and interact with the many article, activities and videos on the website. I am going to have a digital copy available to download not only on the app but on Magazines Direct and Zinio. All my digital copies will be cheaper than the paper copy as I will not have to pay for the paper and printing. Therefore the digital product will be £1.99. Along with paper subscriptions I am going to do deals and bundles if the audience buys both the digital and paper copy.

I am now going to look at what shops sell NME, as it is a very similar product to mine. This is because I need to look at where my magazine is going to be sold. I have researched where NME is distributed and I have found that it is sold in WHSmith and leading supermarkets. However I want my magazine to be sold in WHSmith, leading supermarkets, HMV, Urban Outfitters and some independent record shops. This is because I want to utilise places where young people and students go, as I want to appeal to them and attract them to buy my magazine.

The institution I have chose for my magazine is Time Inc. This is because they distribute to a mass audience. Also they already have NME who are targeting a young audience, this shows me they will know how to attract and appeal to my target audience. They have a mass audience with over 350 million magazines sold each year. Also with NME being the only indie magazine they have, I will be put against it as an alternative to NME. Also fans and readers of NME may also buy my product and therefore I will gain more readers and reach a mass audience. Also their existing products are very popular and are available in supermarkets across the country. This is something I want for my product. They will know what I want from my product and be able to help me achieve my aim or goals for that particular issue. Also Time Inc. already have their products available digitally and therefore will help me make C86 digital. This shows me they are modern and know what is popular and current. So they will be able to distribute my product in print and digital copies.