Industrial Context: Contemporary Context

The major players in the consumer magazine industry in the UK are Bauer Media, Immmediate Media Company and Future Plc, which controlled an estimated 37% of circulation in 2020. 

The top publishers make up a number of household names. For example, Bauer's biggest titles include TV Choice (average monthly circulation of 1.04 million), Take a Break (380, 000) and Yours (180, 000). Some of Immediate Media Co.'s biggest consumer titles include Radio Times (480, 000), English Heritage Members Magazine (450, 000) and BBC Gardeners' World (220, 000). 

Financing and Audience engagement

Magazines are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combination of all three. In the past the financing of magazines was easier, but nowadays, there are many more methods of making money through audience engagemment. These include regular print subscriptions and advertising, online subscriptions, digital advertising, sponsorships and sponsored content, live streaming, videos, podcasts, apps, VR/ AR, music playlists and much more.

Distribution

There are currently around 185 wholesale magazine and newspaper distributors in the UK, the majority of which are owned or controlled by the big three - WH Smith (39% of market shares), Menzies Distribution (27%) and Dawson News (19%). Each conglomerate has a number of depots, which then distribute to a clearly delineated set of postcodes, and publications are then bought from newspaper/ magazine retailers and news agents.