Future PLC publishers research

Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today we have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. They hold market-leading positions in games, film, music, technology, cycling, automotive and crafts.

Future sells 3.2 million magazines each month; they attract more than 23 million unique visitors to our websites; and host 27 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports or syndicates publications to 90 countries internationally, making them the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.

Balanced portfolio

Future manages its business as a portfolio of over 100 mini profit centres. This enables them to adjust their product mix to the fortunes of their host sectors and tightly manage costs. They are not reliant on any one of their host sectors, nor on any single magazine or website, nor on any single source of revenue. They continue to invest appropriately across their portfolio, which they believe will serve them well for the future.

Engaging prosumers

They base everything they do on enthusiasts who are passionate about their interests. They call these enthusiasts ‘prosumers’ because their passion for their hobby makes them more like professional consumers: more engaged, more loyal, more committed and more prepared to pay premium prices for premium products than consumers of general media. Their aim is to reach and engage them: in print, face-to-face and online.

Extras

If you have registered to monthly issues, and you move house, they can update the shareholder register. People can contact them: by post, by phone or by email. This is something we should take into consideration when writing our analysis of our magazine later on.

Bauer Media Research

Bauer Media

Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group, Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations. Bauer Media joined the Bauer Media Group in January 2008.Bauer Media is a multi-platform UK-based media Group consisting of many companies collected around two main divisions – Magazines and Radio - widely recognised and rewarded as being industry innovators. The business is built on influential media brands with millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners. The strategy is to connect audiences with excellent content through their broad multi-touch point brand platforms, wherever and whenever and however they want. The wide portfolio of influential brands gives them advantages over pure play magazine or radio competitors. The magazine heritage stretches back to 1953 with the launch of Angling Times and the acquisition in 1956 of Motor Cycle News, both still iconic brands within their portfolio. The seeds of the company’s radio business were planted in 1990 with the acquisition of London dance station Kiss FM (now called Kiss 100), followed by the acquisition of Liverpool's Radio City and later by TWC and the Metro Group. Then came the acquisition of Melody FM which was transformed into the market-leading Magic 105.4. In 1994, the company bought a small magazine called For Him Magazine which is now the core of the best-selling international multi-platform brand FHM.In 1996, they acquired digital music TV channel The Box, as a route into the small screen business, which has grown into Box Television, a seven channel joint venture TV business with Channel 4.Continuing its history of magazine launches, Closer was launched in 2002 and Britain’s first weekly glossy, GRAZIA, was launched in 2005.Today, Bauer Media spans over 80 influential brand names covering a diverse range of interests including heat – the must have weekly celebrity title, Parkers, MATCH!, CAR and Yours.

We would not pick this publishing company because they focus on an older audience and they don't really focus on acoustic music. Instead they focus on more pop music and glamour magazines.

Music Magazine Questionnaire

Survey

Are you male or female?

Male [ ]

Female [ ]

Your age group?

10-13 [ ]

14-16 [ ]

17-19 [ ]

20+ [ ]

The magazine will be for aspiring musicians who wis to learn their own instrument. It will include simple, easy learning chord sheets each month and interviews with popular rising stars. The magazine will focus on the guitar, but will have articles on different instruments each month.

Which title do you prefer? Tick one

Musimag [ ]

Newstar [ ]

Atune [ ]

MusicMadness [ ]

What age range do you think is suitable? Tick one

12-14 [ ]

13-16 [ ]

51-18 [ ]

18-21 [ ]

The magazine will be for both girls and boysWhich colour scheme would suit this best? Take into account the theme (acoustic/ electric) guitar and music. Tick one

Brown and pink [ ]

Brown and blue [ ]

Purple and yellow [ ]

Green and purple [ ]

Burgundy and cream [ ]

What would be a suitable price range? Tick one

£1.00- £2.00 [ ]

£2.00- £3.00 [ ]

£3.00- £4.00 [ ]

£4.00- £5.00 [ ]

What would you like to see as the main article in one edition of the magazine? Tick two

Interviews with popular musicians and tour dates [ ]

Monthly competitions and handy tips [ ]

Puzzles [ ]

Reviews [ ]

Learn to play your instrument and easy chord sheets [ ]

Other, please specify;

…............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

What is your favourite music genre? Tick one

Indie/ alternative [ ]

Rock [ ]

Jazz [ ]

Acoustic [ ]

R&B [ ]

Dance [ ]

Dubstep [ ]

When and where do you buy magazines? Tick one

I buy magazines every month without fail [ ]

I buy magazines whenever I feel like it [ ]

I order magazines online [ ]

I buy magazines from a shop/ newsagents [ ]

I never buy magazines [ ]

Would you rather buy a cheaper magazine without freebies, or a dearer magazine with freebies? Tick one

Cheaper without freebies [ ]

Dearer with freebies ie CD [ ]

Initial Ideas for music magazine

Initial Ideas

We decided on creating a magazine to help young, aspiring musicians, who wish to start to learn a musical instrument. We decided that the magazine should be aimed at 13-16 years olds, however, different age groups were included for the 'clients' to choose, which they would think to be suitable so if we must, we shall change the age group.

The magazine might include, depending on the survey results, interviews with rising stars, easy learning chord sheets (different instruments), freebies (such as guitar strings or CD's), monthly competitions and handy tips, puzzles and reviews, are some of our ideas we have come up with.

We've also come up with some masthead ideas, and, again, depending on the survey results, will choose one of the following: Musimag, Newstar, Atune and musicmadness. We think that all of these are catchy and all relate to music. Coming up with title was probably the hardest task, as we knew it had to link in, but be catchy and non-cheesy at the same time.

We wanted to aim at both gender groups, so increase profit sales etc. So we wanted a suitable, unique colour scheme that would appeal and look attractive to both gender groups, and fit in with the theme. We also put our chosen colou schemes on the survey in order to analyse and find out which colour schemes suit this magazine, and for its intended purpose. The colour schemes we though up are the following: Brown and Pink, Brown and blue, purple and yellow, green and purple and finally, burgundy and cream. We chose, contrasting colours to immediately make the magazine eye catching and fun.

If the magazine were to be printed on a large scale, then we would want it to be glossy, which is very expensive, and so, the price range would have to be right. We came up with the following price ranges: £1.50, £2.50 £3.00, £3.50, £4.50, and £5.00. we needed to know what our clients would pay for a magazine, so we will decide on an appropriate price once our surveys are completed. 

Lucy Marshall 

Preliminary Task Front cover analysis

For my front cover I made the background photo cover the entire page so that it attracted attention and there wasn’t any white space. The photo I chose however has the person looking off to the side so it could have been a better portrait shot. I did the writing in yellow so it would stand out against the background. I placed the cover stories round the side of the page so they didn’t block out the background photo, also I tried to make the cover stories sound believable and would be something you would expect to find in a college magazine. I also gave quotes on the page and a price in the corner to give it a professional look. The masthead I did in big yellow block capitals to draw attention straight to it, I also made it look more interesting by making the ‘the’ bigger than the rest of the title. If I did this cover again I would put a barcode on it to make it look more professional and realistic and I would get more of a portrait shot for the photo.

Chris Burke