Magazine Ownership & Regulation

Monday 13th October 2017

Magazine Ownership and Regulation

L.O. research ownership, regulation and institutions involved in music magazines.

Time Inc.

• NME Magazine
• Uncut

Bauer Media

• Mojo
• 4Music
• Q

Conde Nast

• Pitchfork

Immediate Media

• Radio Times

Hearst

• -

BBC

• BBC Music Magazine
• Top of the Pops

Magazines are funded by their publishers that pay the costs. The best way magazines make money is by advertising and sales. They get sales by subscriptions and people buying their magazines in a shop. Magazines will also have adverts for their publisher's other magazines so the publisher can advertise for free.

Ownership

• The majority of magazines are published by 9 companies but there titles make up nearly 75% of the market. This means they have a massive influence over audiences and their companies will only get bigger as they control most of the market.

Media Regulation and Law 

• IPSO stands for Independent Press Standards Organisation. It was established on Monday 8th September 2014 following the windup of the Press Complaints Commission. It is an independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK.

• IPSO do: 
• We make sure that member newspapers and magazines follow the Editors' Code.
• We investigate complaints about printed and online material that may breach the Editors’ Code.
• We can make newspapers and magazines publish corrections or adjudications if they breach the Editors’ Code (including on their front page).
• We monitor press standards and require member newspapers and magazines to submit an annual statement about how they follow the Editors’ Code and handle any complaints.
• We can investigate serious standards failings and can fine publishers up to £1 million in cases where they are particularly serious and systemic.
• We operate a 24-hour anti-harassment advice line.
• We provide advice for editors and journalists.
• We provide training and guidance for journalists so they can uphold the highest possible standards.
• We provide a Whistleblowing Hotline for journalists who feel they are being pressured to act in a way that is not in line with the Editors' Code.
• We work with charities, NGOs and other organisations to support and improve press standards.

• IMPRESS is a regulator for the future of media. It stands for Independent Media for the PRESS.

• IMPRESS:
• Award a ‘Trust in Journalism’ mark to publishers that meet our standards for membership.
• Maintain a progressive Standards Code, and assess any breaches of this code by our members.
• Provide an arbitration scheme which is free to all parties and protects publishers against the risk of court costs and exemplary damages.
• Support the development of news publishers, through partnerships and collaboration.

• What rules do magazines have to follow?
• https://www.ipso.co.uk/editors-code-of-practice/ - (Editors Code)

The Future of Magazines

• The biggest change in the industry over the past 20 years has been digitalisation.
• This means everything is done by computer meaning it is cheaper, faster  and easier.
• Technology has impacted the magazine industry because of the digitalisation of most things. I think that eventually print will not be as popular however there will still be some magazines that do print.