Main Aim(s) of the Unit:

This Unit builds of the general and generic skills and knowledge learned at Diploma Level and focuses on the specific skills required for developing a career in magazines. While focused on core journalism skills as applied to magazines and periodicals, the Unit also looks in detail at the business of magazines, including design and layout, marketing and promotion, delivery, circulation and distribution to provide successful students with a pathway to a sustained career in magazines

As with all courses in the new suite, this Unit will look at the implications of digital convergence and the emergence of the web, for the magazine journalist and the magazine industry as a whole.

Main Topics of Study:

The Magazine Industry – What Is A Magazine

• History and Development
• Consumer magazines
• Specialist magazines
• Business to business
• Academic journals
• National and regional titles
• Structure of Magazine companies

Magazine Journalism

• Organisation and staff
• Editorial
• Advertising
• Circulation and Sales
• Marketing
• Accounts and Finance

Types of Magazines

• Consumer
• Business to Business
• Newspaper Supplement and magazines
• Special interest
• Academic journals

Interviewing

• Planning an interview
• Getting the best from an interviewee
• Setting the right agenda and the right questions
• Using quotes
• Difficult interviewees
• Telephone interviews
• Note and record keeping
• Legal and ethical issues

Feature Writing

• Feature article styles
• Feature planning
• Research
• Picture and visual elements
• Special features – reviews, opinion features, leaders

Magazine production

• Desk top editing systems
• Page Layout
• From Publisher and Pagemaker to Quark Xpress & Indesign
• The Digital Newsroom
• the role of the sub editor in a magazine

Creation, Development and Management of Magazines

• Human resources
• Recruitment and retention
• Training and development
• Health and safety
• Equal opportunities
• Creative media sales
• Advertorials
• Advertising
• Events and exhibitions
• Sales
• Circulation
• Finance and accounts

Media Legal

• Libel
• Malicious falsehood and defamation
• Reporting restriction and contempt of court
• Licencing
• Logos and trademarks
• Copyright and intellectual rights
• Privacy
• National and international law
• Data protection and freedom of information
• Press complaints commission and other codes and regulations

The Business of Magazines – Revenues and Finance

• Revenue Sources
• Cover price
• Advertising
• Special promotions
• Product placements
• Advertorials

The Business of Magazines – distribution

• Traditional – newsstands
• Traditional – subscriptions. Supermarket
• Controlled circulation
• Member benefits
• Online applications and brand extensions

Magazines online

• Magazines online
• Extending magazine brands online
• User Generated content, audio and video
• Commercial and promotional opportunities

Online Magazines- e-zines and beyond

• Audience research and assessment
• Special Interest groups
• Newsgroups Marketing and promotion
• Editorial values
• Blogging and bloggers
• User Generated Content

Learning Outcomes for the Unit

Knowledge and Understanding – having completed this Unit learners will have :

1. A general understanding of how the magazine industry is structured and the internal organisation of individual magazines
2. An awareness of the range and variety of magazine publications
3. The special requirements of writing for and editing magazines, including researching, feature writing and interviewing
4. An understanding of the importance of design, layout, and graphics
5. An understanding of the planning and production processes of a magazine
6. An appreciation of the Business of Magazines, including the role and responsibilities of the other departments within a magazine, including advertising, sales, marketing and circulation
7. An appreciation of audiences, markets and market research techniques
8. Adapting magazine content and formats for the internet – and developing web only publications
9. An understanding of legal, ethical and regulatory constraints on magazines and magazine journalists

The numbers in the boxes below show which of the above unit learning outcomes are related to particular cognitive and key skills.

The numbers in the boxes below show which of the above unit learning outcomes are related to particular cognitive and key skills

Learning and teaching methods/strategies used to enable the achievement of learning outcomes:

Learning should take place on a number of levels, principally through lectures, but centres should also encourage seminars, presentation and class discussion, including review and analysis of current media issues.

Formal lectures should provide a foundation of information on which the student builds through directed learning and self managed learning outside the class.

Assessment methods which enable the student to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the Unit:

Written examination : 3 hours duration Weighting : 100%

Indicative Reading For This Unit

Main Text

Morrish, John (June 2003) Magazine Editing: How to Develop and Manage a Successful Publication (Routledge)

Davis, Anthony (1992) Magazine Journalism Today (Focal Press)

Alternative Text and Further Reading

Quinn, Stephen (2002) Digital Sub-Editing and Design (Focal Press)
McLoughlin , Linda (2000) The Language of Magazines (Routledge)

Recommended Websites :

http://www.hellomagazine.com/

http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/

http://www.empireonline.com/

Guideline for Teaching and Learning Time

Unit Content : this course will consider

50 hours Lectures/ Seminars/Tutorials/Workshops
Tutorial support includes feedback on assignments and may vary from college to college according to local needs and wishes

50 hours Directed Learning
Advanced reading, research and preparation, background reading, Group study and portfolio

50 hours Self managed learning
Working through the course text and other recommended reading material, use of the web, interaction with other students and in the field research at relevant sporting events