A brief history of magazines
Magazines are EPHEMERAL (transitory, throw away), they are of their time, reflecting or perhaps in part creating the society in which they exist. They have the power to both PERPETUATE (maintain and continue) as well as CHALLENGE contemporary cultural and gender ideologies.
They will be successful if they pick up on the spirit of the times, or ZEITGEIST.
It is important to note that all media products emerge from a cultural context and from IDEOLOGY around in society at the time. Some may become part of the struggle to challenge the culturally dominant ideology, while others just reinforce the status quo.
1950s: Launched in 1953, Playboy mixed high commerce, sex and glamour explosively for the first time.
1960s: First published in 1967, Rolling Stone was an emblem of the spirit of dissent and lack of deference that marked the 1970s.
1990s: In 1994 Loaded ushered in the era of neo-traditional lads who drank, laughed and shagged. (related cultural products: Men Behaving Badly, Liam Gallagher, Gazza, Chris Evans)
2000s: Today Heat, Hello, OK, Grazia etc. offer an 'in-depth' look at the shallow celebrity culture of the new century.
2001: Glamour (2001) is way out in front as the leading women’s monthly glossy. (Related cultural product: Sex and the City.) “We launched at a time when it was OK to be glamorous again.” Elvin, Editor
2004: Zoo (motto ‘Beer, breasts and Footy) (EMAP) and Nuts (supposed to be more up-market) (IPC) The world’s first ever Men’s Weekly Magazines
2005: Psychologies (launched 2005) “What we’re like, not just what we look like” for women 30 – 55, glossy but not fashion-led.
2009: Eat In Recession bites? Comfort food to make yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment