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Supplements
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Every major British paper has at least one supplemental magazine in their weekend edition. The quality of these titles are not second rate either. Each week The Sunday Times includes magazine supplements that cover style and culture as well as news and events in a more magazine style than the morning paper.
And these weekend mags aren't what we may be used to here in the States. These are full-fledged glossy magazines with in-depth features, few advertisements and great design. Examining the look and feel of these supplemental magazines shows me one more example of the divide between the American and European media's presentation. The Sunday supplements in this country are fine, but the British inserts clearly show that fine is not enough.
Just as it is necessary for our newspaper design and content to change in accordance with our readers, it is also necessary to provide more vehicles for media consumption. The Sunday paper has long been the big paper of the week. Some major dailies have Sunday editions well over 100 pages. If we feel our readers are able to devote so much time to one edition, why do we not also feel that same goal can be accomplished by a more portable magazine style presentation? And like the UK and France, shouldn't the Friday and Saturday editions be the fat ones instead of Sunday, because people have more time to read over the weekend? All you have to do is look to the recent change in Time's release date to Friday for a clue that the weekend is primetime for our readers to enjoy our products.
Each of the individual magazines in the Sunday papers has a focus: style, entertainment and culture. With this delineation of topics, the newspaper evolves one step further to become even more portable. If I am in a hurry but still want to catch up on what events are occurring this weekend, all I have to do is bring the Sunday Times Culture magazine or the monthly Food Observer with me. I don't need to pull a section from the paper and fold it into my bag as I rush for the subway. Instead, all I have to do is pick up one magazine and go. And more and more, my choice in which one to grab is getting broader and broader.
Weeklies
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Another area where choice is paramount is with the British weeklies. There is no other way to explain this category except to say that the number of titles are exploding. And that is no exaggeration. All over the British newsstands you can find a weekly that fits your taste. From celebrities to sex to reality television, weeklies cover every topic you may have a compulsion toward. And this is made even more accessible with the low cost of many of these weeklies. With prices less than a pound and with so many choices the British newsstand is a very reader-friendly environment for weekly titles.
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One noticeable trend in British weeklies is the coverage given to reality television programs. Individual titles not only follow the story lines of the show itself but provide gossip, photos and personal interviews with the stars. So not only do viewers get content during each week's show but they also get original content on the newsstand, further emphasizing the importance of the new growth of media toward a more multi-faceted approach.
A newspaper is no longer enough; a magazine is no longer enough; a television show is no longer enough; instead, the newspaper must take the reader from the newsprint to the internet, from the internet to the magazine, from the magazine to the television. Our media must never give a dead end to our readers. We must be constantly sending them to other vehicles where they can consume our product. Otherwise we will be labeled irrelevant and out of touch with our audience.
Welcome to the Publishing 360 World. It is here for now…
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