Question 3 to Evaluation

3.            What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I researched Time Inc. UK, formerly IPC Media, and Bauer Media who offer the largest selections of magazines brands in this country.  Their magazines are available in many high street stores including W H Smith, R S McColl, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer.

Time Inc. UK is Britain's leading publisher of print and digital magazine and is multi-platformed.  It has over 60 iconic brands including NME magazine.

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.  Bauer Media publish over 300 magazines including the Kerrang! magazine

Using such reputable groups would mean that my media product could be seen by many but such a generic audience means that it would not always reach my target group.

Also by working with such high profile publishing companies my creativity may be restricted as the aim of these companies is profit not loss.

I also researched a South Yorkshire based music magazine called Stirrings.  This is a quarterly magazine which costs £10 per year including postage and packing.  This magazine is also available at assorted folk venues in South Yorkshire and regularly offers freebies such as a free ticket to a local folk music gig.

Stirrings involves it's readers by encouraging them to review new music and gigs.  This is something I think would appeal to my target audience who are likely to want to be involved in the content and production of a magazine.  It would also help me to understand what was appealing to young people at any one time and to capture new influences early on, e.g. upcoming musicians who are unsigned.

Based on my research I would like to use a small independent company to publish and distribute my magazine.  I could keep my costs low by using creative methods such as 'selfie' posters, live web chat and sessions and involving my readers to get involved and send me information and ideas.  I could set up my own editors blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr accounts.

Like Stirrings I would also have select venues where my magazine could be bought, such as record shops and local gig venues, as well as offering an annual subscription for published or online version of my magazine.