Task 4: IPC case study

The International Publishing Corporation Ltd was formed in 1963 following the merger of the UK’s three leading magazine publishers – George Newnes, Odhams Press and Fleetway Publications – who came together with the Mirror Group to form the International Publishing Corporation (IPC).

The company produces over 60 iconic media brands using print alone. It reaches two thirds of UK’s women and42% of UK men (almost 26 million UK adults).

In 1853 the a magazine called ‘the Field’ was launched, It had 24 pages and quickly became the largest magazine in Europe.
A number of magazines that where first bought out in the 1800’s are still going today, ‘Country Life’, ‘Horse and Hound’, ‘Shooting Times’, ‘Yachting World’, ‘ Amateur Gardening’, ‘ Cycling Weekly’, ‘Amateur Photographer’ and ‘The Railway Magazine’


In the early 1900’s the first IPC’s four traditional women’s weeklies was launched. Then ‘Homes & Gardens’ was one of the first magazines to be launched after the first world war. In 1926 a magazine called ‘Women & Home’ entered the market and by 1929 it had grown to 144 pages, majoring on fiction. The 1932 launch of a magazine called ‘ Women’s Own’.

By 1952 the music scene welcomed 'New musical express' and after the arrival of ITV the 'TVTimes' published its first ever issue. This was accuquired by IPC in 1989.

In 1969 'shoot' was born a new football weekly, aswell as 'Rugby world', 'World Soccer' and ' Family cycle' 

In the 1980's IPC had new titles such as 'Country Homes', 'Chat', 'Mizz' and 'Practicle Parenting'.

In the 1990's NME became the first UK music title with its own internet site. 

In 1991 'What's on TV' enters.

'Womans weekly' is combinded with 'Here!' merging into 'Now' launched in 1996.

In the 2000's IPC magazines is newly named IPC media.

Time Inc aquires IPC media for £1.5 billion- biggest magazine deal ever made in UK history. 

The first mens weekly magazine is released 'Nuts'. 

In january of 2005 'Pick me up' is launched and then 'Look' a glossy high street fashion magazine in 2007.

In 2010 IPC media is restructured around three key audience groups: men, mass market women and up market women. 

Questions

What types of magazines and target audiences has IPC been associated with over the years? 

IPC has been associated with a wide variety of audiences over the years, even though it started off being mainly women, later on it released 'shoot' starting off its male audience, as well as later releasing 'nuts'. 

Why might IPC be an appropriate publisher for a new music magazine?

I believe that they would be appropriate for this because they publish NME which became very popular, meaning they have experience in distributing this genre of magazine. They also only publish one music magazine meaning they may want to widen there profile and publish a new music magazine. 

What sorts of genres of music/types of magazines might they be likely to publish? 

Maybe one similar too NME such as a chart music magazine because they already have experience with attracting a target audience who are into that genre of magazine, enabling them to make a new magazine also successful. 

Why might alternative publishers like Bauer be appropriate? 

Bauer would also be appropriate because it also has published music magazines such as Q and Kerrang! which are also very successful music magazines.