Magazine and Newspaper

Media Buyer

The person in charge of negotiating and contracting with the media-

Other Knowledge and Abilities include: 

• Negotiates and contracts with media 

• Understands print media and technology 

• Creatively integrates print media into the mix 

• Knows how to buy media space 

Special Possibilities with Magazines

Bleeds

Cover Positions

Inserts
Gatefolds

Junior Unit

Island Halves
Custom Magazines-

Magazine Space

When analyzing a magazine vehicle, media buyers consider readership, cost, 

mechanical requirements, and ad closing dates (deadlines). To buy effectively, they must thoroughly 

understand the magazine’s circulation and rate-card information.

Factors Affecting Ad Rate in magazines

• Discounts for frequency or volume 

• Premiums for color, bleeds, covers, or special market editions  

Rate Base

the circulation figure on which the publisher bases its rates

Guaranteed Circulation

 the number of copies the publisher expects to circulate

Circulation audit

a thorough analysis of the circulation procedures, outlets of distribution, readers, and other factors—by companies such as ABC.

Primary Circulation-

represents the number of people who buy the publication, either by subscription or at the newsstand.

Secondary Readership

an estimate determined by market research of how many people read a single issue of a publication, is very important to magazines.

Vertical Publications

covers a specific industry in all its aspects

Horizontal Publications

in contrast, deal with a particular job function across a variety of industries.

Subscription and Vendor Sales

Media buyers are interested in a magazine's ratio of subscriptions to newsstand sales, as subscriptions now make up most sales. While newsstands represent 34% of revenues for major magazines, they signal strong consumer demand since buyers choose single copies over subscriptions.

paid circulation

the recipient must pay the subscription price to receive the magazine. Bloomberg Businessweek is a paid-circulation business magazine.

controlled circulation

the publisher mails the magazine free to individuals who the publisher thinks can influence the purchase of advertised products. 

Merchandising Services: Added Value

Magazines and newspapers often enhance their advertising value by offering additional services to advertisers, such as:

1. Special promotions to stores.

2. Marketing support to help readers find local outlets.

3. Response cards for brochure or catalog requests.

4. Assistance with sales force, broker, wholesaler, and retailer meetings.

5. Advance editions for trade professionals.

6. Research on brand preferences, consumer attitudes, and market conditions.

Cover Date

the date printed on the cover.

On Sale Date

the date the magazine is issued

Closing Date

The date all ad material must be in the publisher’s hands for a specific issue.

Frequency Discounts magazines

based on the number of ad insertions, usually within a year

Volume Discounts magazines

based on the total amount of space bought during a specific period.

Premium Rates magazines

Magazines charge extra for special features. Color normally costs 25 to 60 percent more than black and white. 

Geographic Editions mags

target geographic markets 

Demographic Editions mags-

reach readers who share a demographic trait, such as age, income level, or professional status

How papers are categorized- Frequency of Delivery magazines

• Audience Differences: Morning papers have a broader geographic reach and a larger male readership, while evening papers are more popular with women.

•  Weekly Newspapers: Weekly newspapers serve small urban, suburban, and rural areas, focusing on local news and ads, and are the fastest-growing newspaper category.

Cost and Reach: Weekly newspapers tend to have a higher cost per thousand readers but often have more readers per copy and a longer shelf life than daily newspapers

How papers are categorized- Physical Size magazines

• Newspaper Formats: Two main formats exist: standard size (22" deep, 13" wide) and tabloid size (14" deep, 11" wide).

• Tabloid Types: National tabloids (e.g., National Enquirer) focus on sensational stories for single-copy sales, while others like New York Daily News emphasize straight news.

• Standard Advertising Units (SAU): In 1984, the industry introduced the SAU system to standardize column width, page sizes, and ad sizes, reducing the 400 ad sizes to 56 for standard papers and 32 for tabloids.

Industry Conversion: Almost all daily and most weekly newspapers adopted the SAU system, despite the cost of conversion.

How papers are ctegorized- type of audience

• Special-Interest Newspapers: Some dailies and weeklies target specific audiences, featuring ads tailored to those groups and often having unique advertising rules.

• Ethnic Market Focus: Over 200 U.S. newspapers serve the African American community, and others cater to various foreign-language groups, with papers printed in 43 languages other than English.

• Business & Financial Newspapers: Papers like The Wall Street Journal focus on business and financial news, with a large circulation of 1.8 million.

• Other Specialized Audiences: Some newspapers serve fraternal organizations, labor unions, professional groups, religious communities, or hobbyists.

Run of Paper Advertising Rates

entitles a newspaper to place a given ad on any newspaper page or in any position it desires. 

Preferred Position Rate

A position in a printed publication that is thought to attract most reader attention and is sold at a higher rate

pros of mags

• Color

• Authority and Believability 

• Permanence 

• Prestige 

• Audience Selectivity 

• Extensive Pass-along Readership

Cons of mags

• Lack of Immediacy 

• Lack of Distribution 

• High Cost 

• Low Frequency 

• Long Lead Time 

• Advertising Cutter

Pros of newspapers

• Mass Medium 

• Local Medium 

• Comprehensive 

• Geographic Selectivity 

• Timeliness 

• Credibility

Cons of newspapers

• Lack of Selectivity 

• Short Life-Span 

• Poor Production Quality 

• Clutter 

• Lack of Control over Placement