Teen


Teen Magazines - Sheena Patel

New Media

 

 

The world of the media has been changed greatly by the development of new media technologies and convergence has been one of the central issues that has driven new developments. The internet is possibly the area which will have the most impact in the future. I have looked at the way in which magazines have converged with the internet. Magazines have always been a popular form of entertainment. They are read by different people who vary in sex and age, there are magazines available in the market to suit many different requirements. Magazines available range from specialist hobby magazines to computer magazines, there are also specialist magazines which are created especially for niche markets. Since the integration of magazines and the internet we are able to enjoy quality, proliferation, and interactivity.      

 

 

Looking in depth into teenage magazines online

 

 

I looked at the abc website which is where I found the following teenage magazines.  I also did a basic search on google.com where I typed in the words "Teen Magazines" the results confirmed what I had already found.

 

 

Teenage Lifestyle Magazines Include:

 

 

Bliss - http://www.mybliss.co.uk/

Kiss - http://www.kiss.ie/

Mizz - http://www.mizz.com/obj/index.php

Shout - http://www.shoutmag.co.uk/

Sugar - http://www.sugarmagazine.co.uk/

Elle Girl - http://www.ellegirl.com/

Cosmo Girl - http://www.cosmogirl.com/

Teen People - http://magazine-directory.com/Teen-People.htm

Teen Vouge - http://www.teenvogue.com/ 

 

   

  

 

 

Teen Entertainment Magazines Included:

 

Its Hot -

Top of the Pops - http://www.totpmag.com/

TV Hits - http://www.tvhits.co.uk/ 

 

 

Teen Lifestyle magazines usually contain horoscopes, problem pages, fun & games, guys, fashion, beauty, life advice and entertainment.  They are heavily involved with the lives of celebritys, which in my opinion gives each teen magazine the edge on sales in the week or month, depending on who is featured.  Most of the magazines which I have listed above have websites which are set out in a similar way to the hard copy versions. 

There are a range of magazines available for teenagers on the shelves; however there are so many more e-zines online with so many more features.  I have looked at the way in which new media has changed the way we consume magazines. I have concentrated specifically on teenage lifestyle and entertainment magazines. 

 

 

Online Website Reviews

 

The first online magazine alternative I have looked at is Bliss Magazine. Comparing it to the hard copy, the online version is more flash. The website URL is http://www.mybliss.co.uk/  The first point to make here is that the name of the magazine has incorporated “My” in front of it for the online version giving readers the sense that it’s theirs. Looking at the layout of the page it clearly indicates the use of the rule of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity.  The sections of the magazines are clearly marked out at the top of the page horizontally making it much easier to select. Where as in the hard copy version you have to flick through the pages searching for what section you are looking for. An appealing fact about the online version is that it allows consumers to view flashing images, videos and listen to music. This makes the read more appealing, fun and interactive. The site also has an area where you can sign up for and log into to each time you visit the site. By registering with them online it allows you to access special email updates and things which you would be restricted to do if you were not a member. 

 

 

The next magazine I looked at was kiss – Ireland’s only teen magazine.  This online magazines printed version is only distributed in Ireland however now that it is online it is available worldwide and can be accessed by everyone. However the site only advertises the printed version you can’t actually access the magazines content online.  The features on the site are not as good as those on the bliss site. Menus, options and selections are limited. The advertisements on the main page are also limited; I believe the sites main existence is to promote hard copy magazine sales because all of the indications point in that direction.

 

 

Miss online is very interactive, it allows you to sign up and become a member, It has all the conventions of a normal magazine however it has extra perks such as flashing images and video clips making the magazine experience much more enjoyable.  The site has links and scrolling banner messages.

 

 

Elle girl online opens with flash images, on the right hand side of the page there flashing advertisements. When the courser hovers over images they enlarge. There is a search box at the top right hand side of the page. The different categories are laid out horizontally at the top of the page. There are options on the page where you can subscribe for updates through email or txt message. There is also an option to register, a benefit of registering with Elle girl is that the site allows you to save your favourite articles so you can view them at a later date. 

 

 

 

Shout – shout online is similar to the online version of Kiss. The site doesn’t let you access other magazine content it jus advertises the magazine. Along the top of the page is a banner which tells you how many days, hours, minutes and seconds are left until the next shout magazine is released. The page shows a copy of the magazines front cover and has an area where you can add your stories. 

 

 

Sugar – the online page is full of moving images, pop ups and flashing images. Like the bliss site it has the categories along the top of the page. The site also has an area for you to register for “Sugar VIP”. It has an option where you can vote and see the results. It also has quizzes, games and live chat. Even though you can access everything you would be able to in the hard copy the site also has a countdown calendar until the next issue comes out. The incentive to buy the magazine is the free clutch bag there giving away.

 

 

Cosmo Girl – firstly Cosmo Girl doesn’t jump out at you. There are no scrolling banners or flash images. However it has celebrity video clips and drop down menus. There is also a search bar and a place where you can register as a member and they also offer the newsletter.

 

 

Teen people – the online site has a search bar, it also has an offer where you can order the first 4 magazines for free. This is a good way to real consumers in to buying the magazine. The online site includes the usual magazine content. However it’s not as user friendly as sites such as sugar and bliss what I mean by this is that it’s not as interactive you can’t get involved as much.   

 

Teen vogue – is full of the usual content of teen magazines. It has all the same stories and articles that you would find in the hard copy. The site doesn’t have a search bar or doesn’t allow u to sign up or register.   

An in depth look into Teen Magazine content  (Online E-Zines)

 

Bliss – Like a typical teen magazine Bliss online includes the following: quizzes, shout outs, cringes, surveys, daily gossip, behind the scenes, celeb o meter, listening post, true life, cover girl, horoscopes, features, gold club, bliss world, fashion, rate my style, beauty, health and fitness, gift guides, airbrush me, show off, e-cards, prizes and a blog.

Tagline - The place for gossip, style, lads and much more

 

Kiss – Is not as complex as Bliss its options are minimal and the page doesn’t jump out at you as much. The magazine features: last issue, your say, fashion, beauty, quizzes, polls, celeb central, be famous and work experience. The site doesn’t give the option for registration however there are many advertisements about magazines subscription.

Tagline – Ireland’s only teen magazine   

 

Mizz – This magazine jumps out at you straight away it’s full of colour and flash images. The main menus consist of: what’s hot, beauty, you, messages, gimme, style, lads, and horoscopes. The site also allows you to register and log on to become a VIP. 

Tagline – The biggest fortnightly girl’s mag!

 

Shout – This magazine doesn’t offer much in the way of a website. All we have on the page is an image of the front cover of the printed copy of the magazine. There are no links available just information on subscription and a countdown clock showing how many days, hours and minutes are left until the next is released. 

Tagline - Shout the teenage magazine that's something to shout about!

 

Sugar – The links available include: sugar vip, your world, celeb goss, lad mag, style sorted, games and chat and cool stuff. The site offers and area where you can sign and have live conversations. 

Tagline – Celeb gossip, live chats, boys, cash prizes and fun for every teenage girl

 

Elle Girl – The first impression I got from this magazine was that it was aimed at the more mature teenage girl. The colours used connote a sense of class and mature tastes. The options include: fashion, beauty, entertainment, boys, my life, community, quizzes, games, horoscopes and back to school.

Tag line - ELLEgirl.com is the premier destination for teens with a passion for fashion, beauty and entertainment.   

 

Cosmo Girl – Similar to Elle Girl I feel Cosmo girl are targeting there magazine at the more mature end of teens. They have used sophisticated colours rather than the pinks and purples which the other magazines seem to have stuck with. The key features include: horoscopes, beauty, fashion, life advice, guys, entertainment, fun and games, and free stuff. The site also lets you become a member. 

Tag line - The Ultimate Teen Site for Games, Beauty, Fashion, Horoscopes, Quizzes and More!

 

Attractions of Online Teenage Magazines

 

Online magazines provide more information with the online version whereas in the hardcopy the information provided is limited. Things such as links offer easy access to more information, generating an easier to access magazine which makes the read pleasurable and less time consuming.

 

Online Teenage magazines are attractive and appealing to the eye, they are set out just as they would be in the printed version, using the same rules of colour, repetition, proximity and alignment. The advantage is that being online allows a wider array of images and allows you to have animated images these features also help keep the reader amused. 

The information the reader wants to read is easily accessed, without having to flick through pages and pages making it fast, reliable and instant.

It can be accessed anywhere around the world without having to find it and buy it in the shops. Consumers can access their monthly magazine from the comfort of their own surroundings regardless of their location.

It is a free source of information, which is available to everybody. All you need to have is access to the World Wide Web.

The way in which being online gives you the option to add video or sound to the online magazine content, making the experience a more interesting and interactive one.      

The Advantages to Publishers of online Teen Magazines

 

Publishers generate more revenue because printing and publishing costs are lower. Rather than having to create so many copies they just have to edit content online.

 

By having an online magazine publishers can see which aspects of the magazine are the most popular and which areas are the most unread. It also allows them to find out how much time people put into looking at certain topics. Also looking into what the most searched words are and then working upon it. This in turn helps publishers create and design elements of the online magazine which will attract a greater audience.

Online magazines allow publishes to cram the online version with more information. Along with the traditional ways of giving out information they can now do it through video and radio. In turn this will provide consumers with double the amount of information they would normally receive through the hardcopy. 

The online version is instant and can be circulated fast.

Sales are possible in countries which the printed version of the magazine may not even have reached through the traditional way of circulation.

The affects of Online Magazines

Over the past few years the way in which we consume magazines has changed rapidly. Since the arrival of the World Wide Web, magazine consumption has had a knock on effect. Although readership figures haven’t changed a great deal or reading habits have. The physical act of opening up a magazine and flicking through the pages has gone from one extreme to another we now access the same information through a personal computer or laptop using the internet, clicking and searching through information which is at our finger tips. Instead of having the bother of colleting the magazine, picking it up from the newsagents or waiting for it to arrive at your door, you can now access your favourite teenage magazine online. The rise of online magazines saves precious time and money, no more need to worry about recycling costs or environmental issues.   

The general content

 

Fashion

Beauty

Entertainment

Boys

My Life

Community

Quizzes

Games

Horoscopes

Win

Video

Back to School

Jobs

 

Quick Overview

 

Making money – the main way in which online magazines make money is through advertisers. Companies pay the magazine to have their products or services advertised. Both the magazine and company benefits from this because the magazine receives money and the company gets to advertise in a highly valued magazine.   

Saving money – online magazine cuts down production and distribution costs.

Website features – the websites that I analysed contained similar features, the majority of them had search engines where it allowed you to type in key words and you would get results back from the whole site. Allowing readers to access pages they preferred.  Another feature on the online site was that they allowed you to sign up to them. The incentive of this was that it revealed more content to its “members”. With this feature the online magazine have an alteria motive it allows them to check up on who is reading their magazine, at what times and for how long and so on. This then led me to think registering with these online magazines is a market research tool for them.

Adverts - the adverts which are on the websites are mainly associated with the magazines general existence and purpose.  For example women’s magazines advertise fashion, celebrities and make-up, where as a PC magazine would advertise games and components. The online websites that i looked at all fitted in with teenage magazines. The things which i found that were commonly advertised were mobile phones, perfume and DVD’s.    

Utilities to attract people to the website – the main attraction would be the access and the immediacy of the information.

Magazines & New Media – since the arrival of the internet consumption of magazine has evolved. It’s now more advanced and interactive then ever.

 

Conclusion

 

Although convergence of magazines and the internet brings about choice for the consumer and more interactivity there is a downside to it, an example of what Paul Levinson calls the Caveman analogy. With so much which can be done on the internet what will this mean for poorer families who can’t afford or access the new media technology. Also will this have an effect on regulation magazines which are top shelf material can now be accessed via the internet by anyone who has access to the internet.  Overall I found looking at teenage magazine in depth as I did was very interesting as I personally am somebody who views these types of magazines online. To begin with I found it hard to divert away from the hard copy version of the magazine but the proliferation, quality and interaction of magazines online is irreplaceable. Through this research as you may already know there are many advantages and disadvantages to this new form of distribution. From reviewing, comparing and analysing the websites it has given me a clear idea of the developments within the industry.    

 

 

Bibliography

 

Audit Bureau of Circulations http://www.abc.org.uk/

Magazine [online] http://www.mybliss.co.uk/

Kiss Magazine [online] http://www.kiss.ie/

 

Mizz Magazine [online] http://www.mizz.com/obj/index.php

 

Sugar Magazine [online] http://www.sugarmagazine.co.uk/

 

Elle Girl [online] http://www.ellegirl.com/

 

Cosmo Girl [online] http://www.cosmogirl.com/

 

Teen People [online] http://magazine-directory.com/Teen-People.htm

 

Teen Vogue [online] http://www.teenvogue.com/