I have chosen NME magazine as a magazine similar to my own to research.

 

Key Facts: 

Price: £2.20

Frequency: Weekly

Circulation: 56,284

Readership: 411,000

Launch Date: 1952

Gender: 73% male, 27% female

Average age: 25

Social class: 73% ABC1

Target market: Men 17-30

Publishing house: IPC Media/Time Inc. 

 

About the reader:

• NME readers are entertainment enthusiasts!

• 80% of readers feel that music is an important part of their lives

• 79% of NME readers like to listen to new bands

• 63% specifically choose to listen to indie/guitar bands

• 49% specifically choose to listen to live bands in studio

• 52% are interested in taking a musical course/qualification

• 36% are thinking of buying a musical instrument in the next year

• NME readers are tech savvy!
  72% have a broadband internet connection at home

• 67% have bought something online in the past 12 months

• 59% agree that they like to keep up with the lastest technologies

• 93% own a computer

• 96% have access to the internet

• 56% visit NME.com every day/every few days 

• NME readers love festivals and concerts!

• 77% of NME readers have been to atleast 1 pop/rock concert 

• The flourishing music scene

• 67% will be attending a festival this year

• Average expenditure on-site: £402

• Average expenditure off-site: £368

• NME readers love the atmosphere of live gigs and festivals!

• Over half of adults agree you 'can't beat the atmosphere of a live performance'

• 41% believe a live performance is more exciting and entertaining than watching it on TV

• 70% of gig-goers went for the event and atmoshpere more than the music

• 55% of gig-goers went after buying recorded music of the artist

• 54% of gig-goers went because of the location

• 53% of gig-goers went because they had a positive past experience

• Further Information:

• 34% are working full-time, 18% are working part-time and 26% are full-time students

• 62% read atleast 3 out of 4 issues

• 49% have been reading NME for at least 3 years

• 84% think the magazine gives them what they want, spending an average of 46 minutes reading each issue

 

NME is a rock/alternative/indie music magazine sold weekly for £2.20. This is quite a high price for a magazine and in a month a reader would spend nearly £10 if they bought each weekly issue which suggests the magazine is aimed at slightly higher classes. 73% of readers of NME are in social classes ABC1 which suggests that the magazine appeals to a more sophisticated and wealthy audience but is also affordable. Other music magazines like Kerrang! - which is a similar genre to NME - also sell their magazine for £2.20 which suggests this is an average price for a magazine in this genre. The circulation figures of NME are 56,284 and it has a readership of 411,000 - this suggests it is a popular and easily accessible magazine. NME's readers are 73% male and 27% female - NME is more popular with the male audience which fits with its target market of men aged 17-30 and displays its success in targetting its intended audience. 

 

From this research I can conclude that NME fans are dedicated and passionate about listening to music as 80% of the readers feel that music is an important part of their lives; this point is also demonstrated by the fact that 53% of readers are interested in taking a musical course or qualification which suggests that music takes up most of their life and they have a genuine interest, passion and dedication to it. Readers of NME are also interested in widening their consumption of music and experimenting with new bands - 79% of NME readers are interested in listening to new music - this suggests that readers of this magazine are confident, extroverted people that aren't afraid of change and are willing to embrace and adapt to the ever expanding and changing industry of music. The fact that 63% of readers listen to indie/guitar bands suggests that the majority of readers enjoy indie music and are not 'mainstream' and are more of a niche audience.

 

I can also see that NME appeals to its audience over many e-media platforms as it has a radio station and a website; this complies with the tech savviness of its audience as 96% have access to the internet and 56% visit NME.com every day or every few days. In addition, 59% agree that they like to keep up with the latest technologies which again shows they embrace change and are confident in adapting to change which is a good attribute to have when being a fan of indie music as it is very different and requires individuality to be appreciated; it is also a genre that has lots of different sub genres and so adapting to all the different types of indie music is required. 

 

Furthermore, the psychographics of the NME audience depicts their audiences love for the atmosphere of gigs and festivals. It is said that the average expenditure of a gig-goer on-site is £402 and off-site is £368 - this is a lot of money to spend on a gig and so suggests that NME fans are dedicated and willing to spend large sums of money in going to experience music live and to have a good time. It is suggested that NME readers are people who like to go out and have fun as 70% of gig-goers went for the event and atmosphere more than the music. The suggestion of NME readers being dedicated is also implied by 55% of gig-goers went after buying recorded music of the artist suggesting that readers are passionate about the music they go to see and are willing to pay money for recorded music and then pay to go to the live gig - as fans they don't have any limits to the extent they will go to to support their loved bands and interests; this is also shown by the readers dedication to buying the magazine every week. This also suggests that fans of NME are sensible as they like to listen to the cheaper recorded music before paying out all the money to go to their gig; recorded music is quite easy to get hold off and demonstrates again NME fans' diverse consumption of music and suggests they are open to experimenting with new music. The 53% of gig-goers asked in the survey went because of a positive past experience which suggests that NME readers like to have a good time and if they enjoy something will make sure they have the money to pay to do it and experience the fun, again, this suggests they are dedicated to the things they love/enjoy - this makes a good fan for NME because it means that their audience will make sure they have the money to buy the magazine each week if they enjoy it and have had a positive previous experience.

 

The fact that 18% of NME's demographic are working part time and 26% are full-time students suggests the majority of the readers of the magazine are in the younger denomination of the age bracket that read NME. And the fact that 62% read atleast 3 out of 4 issues and 84% think the magazine gives them what they want suggests NME has a large and satisfied fan base and demonstrates how NME have accurately targeted their audience and met their needs.

 

Applying this to my magazine:

 

I think the psychographics of NME are similar to what the target audience of my magazine will be: for example, interest in indie music, the love of gigs and concerts, the interest in the latest technology and 'tech-saviness', love for entertainment, passion for music and ability to listen/experiment with listening to new bands and different types of indie music. However, I want the demographics of the readers of my magazine to be different. I want my magazine to appeal to men and women more equally but the social class I want it to target is the ABC1 also so my magazine will be a similar price to the price of NME. I think the age demographic that NME targets will be similar to my own magazine, although I think my magazine will appeal more to 16 - 28 year olds.