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

I would like to distribute my magazine throughout the UK. The ideal distributor for this would be IPC Media. IPC Media is the second largest publisher of magazines in the UK with 20% share of the country's consumer titles. They publish everything from radio magazines to food and car magazines. By using IPC, I could launch a radio station which would be a sister product to my magazine and the synergy this would generate would benefit both the magazine and the radio station. As IPC is such a large publisher and as my magazine is quite mainstream, it could be distributed in the same way to the same outlets as Kerrang! (which is a Bauer publication) which has similar contents and targets a similar audience. I think there is room in the market for another Kerrang style magazine but mine would have a less hard rock/heavy metal style than Kerrang!.



Most magazines published by IPC have a subscription offer. I would want to use this form of sales for my publication as subscriptions ensure repeat purchases and therefore increase circulation figures. I would also launch an online version of my magazine, this is essential these days. The advantages of this would be that, it is free of charge, it is easy to access and the readers do not have to leave their homes. There would be a free magazine site as well as subscribers only area where there would be exclusive articles and downloads that people would be prepared to pay for. The free part of the site would be paid for by web advertising.


Once the magazine became successful, I would like to promote the brand through tie-ins with related entertainment and media. For example. I would want it to sponsor award ceremonies, concerts, bands etc just as Kerrang does. This would further raise the profile of the magazine, making it more successful.


If I were to use a smaller company, there is the risk that they couldn't get the widespread distribution and promotional deals that IPC could demand. A smaller company might mean more editorial independence but I wouldn't want to risk failure due to poor distribution. The success rate for magazines in the UK is very low. Only 3 in 10 magazines survive their first 4 years.