Classifications of Magazines
To gain some perspective on the various types of magazines available and the advertisers that use them, consider the way magazines are generally classified. Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS), the primary reference source on periodicals for media planners, divides magazines into three broad categories based on the audience to which they are directed: consumer, farm, and business publications. Each category is then further classified according to the magazine's editorial content and audience appeal.
Consumer Magazines Consumer magazines are bought by the general public for information and/or entertainment. SRDS divides 2,700 domestic consumer magazines into 75 classifications, among them general editorial, sports, travel, and women's. Another way of classifying consumer magazines is by distribution: They can be sold through subscription or circulation, store distribution, or both. Time and Newsweek are sold both through subscription and in stores; Woman's World is sold only through stores. People magazine was originally sold only through stores but then added subscription sales as it gained in popularity. Figure 12-1 shows the top 10 magazines in terms of subscriptions and single-copy sales, respectively. Magazines can also be classified by frequency; weekly, monthly, and bimonthly are the most common.
The Role of Magazines and Newspapers
Magazines
Exhibit 12-1 Magazines targeted to a specific industry or profession
Exhibit 12-1 Magazines targeted to a specific industry or profession

Continue reading here: Advantages of Magazines
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