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International Publishing Corporation

• International Publishing Coporation (IPC) formed in 1963
• IPC was formed following the merge between The Mirror Group(Newspapers/Publishing Companies) Odhams Press, George Newnes and Fleetway.
• This therefore saw further concentration of media ownership, IPC established itself as the largest newspaper and periodical printing group in the world.
• Major media companies often consolidate their power by moving into other sectors of the media= Diversification
• Conglomerate- A comapany that is made up of subsidiaries. Subsidiaries are smaller companies in their own right but still operate under a conglomerate.
• Unlike Conde Nast, The IPC is a vertically integrated company. (Vertical integration is where a company can control the production, distribution and consumption of its products) IPC media kickstarted the production of their products with their own printing plants.

Conde Nast

• Owned by Advance Publications (USA) since 1959
• Conde Nast publishes Vogue, it remained highly competitive in other sectors of the consumer magazine market
• It was one of the first publishers to launch international editions
• Vogue was orginally an American publication, with the British Edition released in 1916. The primary audience were all there due to the start of WW1.
• Unlike the IPC, Conde Nast do not own printing plants in the UK. However, they have a long term contract with Sun Engraving Company-highest quality printing press.

Apply Curran and Seatons theory of power and media industries of the magazine industry

The patterns of ownership and control in the media industry. The Curran and Seatons theory of power and media industries provides critical framework in this regard. The key elements of this theory is that:

• The media are controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic of profit and power
• The general trend in media industries is towards a greater concentration of ownership.

Concentration of ownership is often as a result of horizontal integration. The theory claims that this generates a negative impact on media industries and audiences, and that it inhibits and restricts quality. For instance, Vogue is owned by Conde Nast, a large publishing company which own several different and popular magazines. In the September Issue (2009), Vogue’s editor Anna Wintour restricts creativity of the product of Vogue because of her picky vision of the covers.

In what ways could a recession or economic downturn impact on a magazine’s revenue streams?

Economic downturns of a magazine can result in the production value being affected. It potentially means that photography and editing is not of the best quality and therefore less likely to maintain a loyal audience. The consumers have a less disposable income and as a consequence is less likely to buy because Vogue is a luxury item. The distribution of the products would be on a smaller scale and as a result would not reach the target audience. Due to low quality production, advertisement revenue would decrease due to the damage to their brand identity. The income and expenditure of the magazine would be reduced and consequently a lower product outcome and potentially a redundancy to the entire magazine itself, affecting other businesses as well as other media links to the company.

Why Vogue has attracted and maintained an audience for over 100 years

Vogue has been an American magazine for many generations, therefore making it recognisable to many different audiences. It was founded in 1892 and British Vogue began in 1916, at the start of war- It became a form of escapism for readers at the difficult and uncertain time in society, it brought hope to the public.

Vogue became popular for its distinctive photographs which are of high quality. Nast hired the best photographers and editors in order to produce the best outcomes and occasionally revolutionary. In the 30’s Vogue became one of the first magazines to begin printing colour on the covers. In the 60’s the magazine reimagined the look of female models to highlight gender-neutral physiques. Vogue’s August 1974 was the first cover to picture an African American model.

When Anna Wintour became the editor of Vogue in 1988, she immediately transformed the look of Vogue covers by emphasizing the woman’s body, rather than only her face. She also frequently incorporated celebrities as opposed to traditional fashion models. In 2009, the film documentary The September Issue, which documented the production of the magazines record breaking 840 page September 2007 issue, was released.

What makes the Vogue brand unique?

The Vogue brand has thrived for over 100 years throughout the toughest time in
British history, from WW1 and WW2. It kept the British spirit alive in fashion. Over time, Vogue incorporated celebrities on their covers which help promote the brand as well as the celebrities themselves.

How has the brand changed over time?

The Vogue brand has changed over time as it adapts and shapes the current fashion industry. It reflects modern society and the industry at the time.

What changes in particular occured in the 1960s?

The focus on pop culture in the 1960s changed fashion. The Vogue magazine did many covers on this and therefore 60’s fashion changed because of this. From this point on, Vogue illustrated the movement of feminsim in each edition.

4 areas that we are looking at are:

• The media language of Magazines
• The Magazine Industry
• Representations
• Audiences

The Magazine Industry

Overview of the industry: The industry has changed significantly since the 1960s. The marketplace was less crowded and the industry was dominated by a small number of major publishers. Today, the industry is still dominated by major publishers but there is a much wider range of titles available.

Print circulation is falling and there is a rise of digital sales. Magazines need a strong online and social media presence. Many mainstream lifestyle magazines have struggled to survive, however there is now a wide range of niche magazines available and those that have developed a unique selling point and secured a loyal audience have survived.

• 72% of adults (15+) in the UK consume magazines (37.7 million people)
• 57% of GB adults (15+) read a print magazine and 40% consume magazine brands via their PC or mobile device.

VOGUE

• Published monthly by Conde Nast, 1916 to present.
• Set edition: July 1965
• Price: 3 shillings (36 old pennies)
• Womens magazines became popular in the post war period, and sales of womens magazines reached 12 million copies per week.
• Womens fashion magazine: monthly ‘glossy’ high production values
• Primarily focused on fashion and style
• The set edition includes a range of articles about travel, money etc

The September Issue Film (R.J Cutler 2009)

• Anna Wintour is the most powerful person in the Vogue industry.
• The industry is very picky, outfits have to be textured and colourful
• 13 million people would purchase the September magazine
• There was a massive change in the 60s, and a massive movement and change of fashion as well as the end of social class system, the pill and emancipation.
• A lot of time and effort goes into each photograph in order to make it perfect
• Vogue trained celebrities to become supermodels