Difference between magazines and periodicals

In "Newspaper and public relations", a distinction was made between newspapers and publications known as "periodicals." There is also a difference between magazines and periodicals. In the Columbia Encyclopedia, compiled and edited at Columbia University, a periodical is defined as "a publication that is issued at regular intervals," and that it "expresses the points of view of its authors instead of merely recounting current news." In distinguishing between a periodical and a magazine, this encyclopedia states that "the term 'periodical' is applied to scientific journals, literary reviews and fiction magazines," while "the term 'magazine' usually is limited to those periodicals designed primarily for entertainment."

It is difficult, however, to make a clear-cut distinction between magazines and periodicals. Nevertheless, there is this much to be said. While every magazine which comes out at regular intervals can be called a periodical, not all periodicals can be called magazines. Yet even this distinction is not always recognized in everyday language. In fact, the term "magazine" is applied so generally that it embraces nearly every type of publication, from the sixteen-page external house organ of a manufacturing company to that imposing and expensive periodical which goes under the name of Fortune.

Periodicals which may be termed "magazines

It seems practical to include under the head of "magazines" not only periodicals designed entirely for entertainment but also two other groups. These are, first, periodicals that devote all their space, as do Time, Life, Newsweek and Business Week, to the recounting and interpretation of current news, and, second, periodicals that divide their space, as do The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's and The American Magazine, between news and entertainment.

It should be noted, however, that magazines not given over entirely to entertainment do not always fall exactly in either of the other two groups. Strictly speaking, Time, Newsweek, and Business Week are weekly news magazines. In the case of Life, on the other hand, much of its material actually is "pegged" to current news, but it includes in its pages lengthy articles so attractively presented, textually and pictorially, that they entertain, although they are so constituted as to inform or interpret.

Similarly, in the case of a magazine of general interest, such as The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, or Esquire, it will be found that a typical non-fiction article, while not recounting something that happened yesterday, is related to some current subject matter as, for example, the season. In the early autumn, such a magazine is likely to publish an article about the forthcoming football season, which perhaps discusses the probable winners in the various collegiate conferences. In winter, Esquire may devote at least a part of its nonfiction attention to skiing, skating or ice-boating.

Dependence of magazines on advertising

An important factor in the magazine publishing business is the selling of space to advertisers. In the main, magazines, as well as newspapers, are dependent for their financial support on their revenues from advertising. In the case of every rule, however, there are usually exceptions. In this instance, a highly conspicuous exception is the outstanding success of Reader's Digest. This magazine which has a circulation running into millions, has never carried any advertising.

In most cases, however, the fifteen or more cents which a person pays for a magazine at a newsstand scarcely covers the cost of the paper on which the publication is printed. When a person buys a magazine at a newsstand, or subscribes for a magazine so that it comes to him by mail, he becomes a part of what the magazine calls its "market." This market plays an important role in the selling of magazine space, to advertisers.

Advertising and a magazine's market

It is people's interest in a magazine and their financial ability to buy the magazine, as evidenced by the fact that they purchase it, which enables a magazine to sell space to advertisers. A magazine may also be helped in selling its advertising space by the fact that it has a somewhat different market from the markets of other magazines.

For example, a magazine may have a particular appeal for John Doaks. John Doaks represents a certain type of person so that the magazine has a market consisting of many John Doakses. Consequently, the magazine is able to say to its advertising prospects, "We can deliver to you a market of so many thousand John Doakses." Furthermore, the magazine is able to give to its advertising prospects a detailed description of this market since it knows the kind of person which John Doaks represents. The magazine knows John Doaks' approximate age; it knows his marital status, his tastes, his nationality, his color, his vocation; it further knows within a few hundred dollars, his average yearly earnings. This information which the magazine has about John Doaks is obtained in a number of ways.

Reading reveals the man

One way of finding out what kind of a person a man is, is to find out what kind of reading he does. Suppose, for instance, that a man seldom glances inside a so-called "popular" magazine, but never misses an issue of such a publication as The New Yorker or The Saturday Review of Literature. If he reads The New Yorker, it is probable that he is a sophisticate and, in most cases, a city dweller. It is also probable that he is fairly well off and a potential purchaser of such things as a grand piano, fine clothes, jewelry from Cartier's or Tiffany's, a Cadillac or Lincoln, and possibly an expensive residence in some such section as Westchester County. If he reads The Saturday Review of Literature, it is likely that he is the intellectual type and certainly a potential purchaser of books.

Similarly, if a man buys or subscribes to The Country Gentleman, ten chances to one he is a farmer, actual or prospective, and is probably fairly prosperous. If a man buys or subscribes to Fortune, ten chances to one he is a business executive and, in view of Fortune's high price, he is probably a fairly high-ranking executive with an income above average.

In addition to judging a man by his reading, magazine publishers carry on research work as a means of learning about the specific "public" which makes up their market. They study census figures and send out field investigators to hold personal interviews with their readers. On the basis of this information, the magazine publishers arrive at averages from which they compile a composite. And that composite is their John Doaks.

A magazine's appeal to a specific personality. A magazine, more than a newspaper, tends to appeal primarily to only one of the many personalities which an individual possesses. It may be edited so as to appeal to him as a householder, or as a consumer or as a parent, or as the player of some other role, such as an employee, an employer, a member of a fraternal order, a veteran, a landlord, a tenant, a fisherman, a hunter, a churchgoer, or a baseball fan. Although the individuals who read these specialized magazines are outnumbered by those who read general periodicals, this lack in numbers is balanced by intensity of interest.

A man who reads a magazine catering to one of his particular interests is more susceptible to editorial and advertising appeal than a man who reads a publication of a general nature. This may be explained by the fact that a man will listen more readily to a new acquaintance when he learns that this acquaintance is a friend of a friend from Kansas City, or when he finds out that this acquaintance is a lodge brother. A magazine which appeals specifically to a man's particular interest makes the reader feel the existence of a common bond, and consequently makes a greater impression on him.

This does not mean, however, that the general magazines which contain articles, pictures, and fiction appealing to a variety of interests do not create some feeling that a common bond exists between them and their readers. Close examination of these magazines will show that they cater to the common characteristics of the people making up a certain large group. An example is provided by women's magazines of a general nature.

Magazines read chiefly for diversion

As a matter of fact, much of the "appeal" of a publication is entertainment, and not the opinions expressed by the editors. It has been found, for instance, that a magazine's or newspaper's political stand does not carry enough weight to assure the outcome of an election. The reader of a publication and the voter have often proved to be two distinct personalities. It seems to be generally the case that the editors take the editorial policy of their publication far more seriously than do the readers who are primarily seeking diversion, and possibly a certain amount of helpful information, such as that which appears in women's magazines, with their hints on cooking, decoration, fashion, and other problems vital to the running of the home.

While a magazine editor may be highly capable of producing a publication which appeals to a particular group of readers, as attested by his circulation and advertising figures, he often has the failing of overestimating the extent of his publication's influence on the minds and hearts of its readers. The same person who laughs at a funny story in a magazine, or decides to buy a can of pineapple slices because it is attractively advertised in a magazine, often balks at being told how to vote.

The basic intelligence of the public on important issues should never be underestimated. It should always be remembered that every individual has many diversified personalities. If he responds as a consumer to the contents of a magazine, it does not follow he will respond as a political or religious individual. If a public-relations worker is to be successful in getting results from a story about his company published in a magazine, his primary purpose must be to make his story interesting reading and to avoid giving the impression that he is trying to force his ideas on the readers.

Selecting a magazine's market

Before a publisher launches a magazine, he decides on the kind of readers to whom he wants his publication to appeal. In other words, he selects a definite market to sell to his advertisers. He then develops this market by so "slanting" his editorial content as to attract readers of a certain type. Although he does not deliberately try to discourage other types of readers, he knows that they will choose other magazines for their reading, which are better adapted to their interests. Thus, the magazine of culture which speaks the language of culture is not likely to be read to any great extent by the masses. Similarly, the magazine for the masses which speaks the language of the street is not likely to have much of a market among the cultured.

The public-relations worker does not need to concern himself greatly about the qualities and characteristics of a magazine's fiction content. Rarely will this fiction matter have any bearing on his field of activity. In order to make successful use of magazines as a means of telling his story to the world, the public-relations worker must give his attention primarily to the angles of appeal and the purposes of the magazines' non-fiction content.

Making stories conform with editorial formula

The public-relations worker must make as careful a study of the non-fiction content of magazines as does the freelance non-fiction writer who makes his living by selling his writings to magazines. The free-lance writer would never write a story of the type used by The Saturday Evening Post or Collier's or Life, and then attempt to sell this story to the editors of Fortune. In a like manner, the public-relations worker must see to it that his story conforms with a magazine's editorial formula. Before he approaches a magazine editor with his story, he must be sure that it is the kind of a story which fits in with the policy of the magazine.

To a newspaper editor, whether his newspaper be labeled Republican, Democratic, Liberal, Independent, or supports some other political party, news is generally considered news to be printed regardless of its political aspect. To a magazine editor, however, submitted stories are appropriate for printing only if they conform to his magazine's editorial formula — a formula which has been devised to attract and to hold readers of a particular type, socially or economically, or readers whose interests run along certain fairly well-defined lines.

The character of a magazine's editorial formula, however, should be clearly understood. In the case of a general magazine, for instance, no subject is beyond the editorial pale, provided that the subject does not violate the canons of good taste, which, incidentally, are always changing. The editorial formula applies only to the treatment of the subject. For example, the editor of The Saturday Evening Post knows that only a minority of his readers are stamp collectors; in fact, he probably knows exactly how small a minority they represent. Nevertheless, he will not hesitate to run an occasional article on this hobby, asking only that it be interesting as well as informative.

On the other hand, the editor of a stamp collector's journal would not run an article on duck hunting. He knows that his readers would be highly irritated by the inclusion of such an article, since all they want from the magazine is information on philately. Any subject other than stamp collection falls outside the limits of their interest in the magazine.

Meeting magazine deadlines

As has been previously noted, a newspaper must operate under the dictates of a time-schedule. Every edition must meet a deadline. This also holds true of a magazine. Although the pace is somewhat slower than in the case of a newspaper, nevertheless, a magazine must function with one eye on the clock, or at least on the calendar.

For the news magazines such as Time, Life, Newsweek, and Business Week, the pace is brisk. In fact, it is so brisk that the editors and production departments have found it necessary to evolve new techniques in gathering, writing, checking, proofreading and printing their weekly grist’s of current history.

For the "general" magazines and for special publications, such as trade magazines, literary reviews, and Sunday-supplement magazines which are delivered with the Sunday editions of newspapers, the pace is more leisurely. Since these magazines treat their material more thoroughly, dig more deeply for details, devote more time to illustration and to calmer and more objective judgment, they set their deadlines further ahead than do the news magazines.

Nevertheless, for every issue of every magazine, a deadline stands. And no one can put it off.
Consequently, the public-relations worker who desires to use the magazines as a means of advancing his program must keep in mind, first, that each magazine has an editorial formula which is designed to interest certain types of readers and, second, that each magazine is working against a closing date. That closing date may be two weeks or three weeks or five weeks ahead, but whatever the date, it is inexorably fixed and not subject to the least change.

This means that the public-relations worker must never fail to respect a magazine's deadline. Otherwise, the magazines are going to be closed to him. If, for instance, he is late in submitting a story which he would like to see published around Thanksgiving time, the only response he will get from the editor is: "Sorry, but we closed our Thanksgiving Day issue a month ago. Now we're winding up Christmas."

Making use of the literary agent

The public-relations worker should not overlook the advantage of making use at times of the services of professional literary agents. The literary agent is a person who represents authors, and sells their works to magazines, and he should not be confused with individuals who conduct "Writer's Schools." The literary agent's compensation is a ten per cent commission from the sale of an article to a magazine.

If the interest of an alert literary agent can be aroused in a story which a public-relations worker wishes to present to the public, the agent can often make arrangements with a recognized author to work up the story, and with a prominent magazine to publish it. What makes this sort of contact very desirable is not only the fact that an agent-sponsored piece gets serious editorial consideration if the agent is reputable, but that this method of presentation makes an editor even more receptive to an idea for an article than he might be if it were presented by an obviously commercially interested person.

Dealing directly with magazine editors. While the use of the literary agent's services has certain advantages, it is not difficult to deal directly with magazine editors. Many magazine editors are former newspapermen. With due regard to their own editorial formulas, they know the makings of a story when they see it. They are well informed. If a matter of public interest is mentioned to them, such as something reported in today's newspapers, it will be found that they know a great deal more about it than the average intelligent man. They keep abreast of the times.

Furthermore, magazine editors are exceptionally human. They are approachable. Their doors are open. Let a man come in with an idea pertinent to their respective fields, and they are always ready to listen. In fact, they are glad to be of help by suggesting ways in which the presentation of the idea can be strengthened from the standpoint of their editorial formulas.

The public-relations worker can submit an idea for a non-fiction article to a magazine editor either through a personal call or by means of a letter. He can present the idea in comprehensive outline form, or in the form of a completely developed manuscript. In any event, the editor's first answer is likely to be: "Let us think it over. After we have considered it, you will hear from us. Thank you very much."

From that point on, the public-relations worker can do nothing but wait. If he is successful, he will eventually hear that the idea which he submitted in a conversation or in a letter has been accepted, and that the editor has assigned one of his staff men or a freelance writer to develop it. Or, if the idea was presented in a completely developed manuscript, the public-relations worker will hear that, with certain slight changes about which he will be informed, his article has been adjudged suitable for publication.

How magazine editors work

In most cases, magazines are written partly by staff writers and partly by contributors. Free-lance writers of fiction as well as of non-fiction articles, constantly submit material. Meanwhile, the editors themselves rack their brains and call upon their backgrounds of reading and personal acquaintance for ideas for good articles. These may be written by staff people, or assigned to free-lances.

The editor of a magazine, unlike the editor of a big newspaper, usually passes upon every article that goes into his publication. It is not possible, however, for him to be an expert on every subject which comes up for his attention. Consequently, he must rely on specialists for advice and spade work.

For example, most of the "general" magazines have editorial offices in Washington where all the multifarious activities of the national political scene are examined and sifted for editorial interest. These offices are important because of the leading role which the government plays today in the lives of the people. In addition to editors who handle domestic developments of a political nature, there is likely to be an editor of foreign affairs. Such an editor advises the top-editor on articles dealing with international happenings, and he may write such articles himself. It is often necessary for the public-relations worker to interest a special editor before he can obtain the attention of the editor-in-chief.

"Service" magazines

Of particular interest to the public-relations worker are the so-called "service" magazines. These are magazines which specialize in publishing articles of the "how to do it" and "how to find it" type. For example, there is a whole group of women's "service" magazines which have a wide circulation and exert great influence. Such magazines guide women as wives, mothers, homemakers, and to some extent as all-round citizens. Some women's "service" magazines specialize in certain lines. For instance, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar concern themselves primarily with styles of women's clothing.

Another outstanding group of "service" magazines consist of the so-called "shelter" magazines. These magazines are devoted to house planning, house maintenance and garden activities, and appeal to both men and women. Still another important group of "service" magazines is comprised of all farm magazines. Such magazines publish articles designed to help the farmer in his various activities.

The "service" magazines are more departmentalized than the "general" magazines. The editor-in-chief of a woman's magazine may be a man, or a career woman who hardly knows how to buy an egg. Under this editor-in-chief, however, there are sub-editors who are specialists in their lines. For instance, there is likely to be a sub-editor with an experimental kitchen and a staff, who does nothing but live, think and write about foods and how to prepare them.

These "service" magazines provide the public-relations worker with a particularly valuable means of presenting his message to the public. The reason for this is that one of the primary purposes of these publications is to acquaint their readers with various products and their uses. They are glad to know what is new in the market place, as well as to hear about new ideas for using old products.

Newspaper supplements

It seems justifiable to, classify the Sunday supplement of a daily newspaper as a magazine. It is like a magazine not only in its editorial content but also in its scope, which, in many cases, is national rather than local. The American Weekly, Parade, This Week and Pictorial Review are illustrations of such periodicals. Although they are issued with the Sunday editions of metropolitan newspapers, they are separately edited and printed well in advance of the newspapers. Like a magazine, they have a wide circulation. These supplements can be used by the public-relations worker in the same way as the independently circulated magazines. In editorial formula, they are akin to such family magazines as The American Magazine and Redbook.

Trade and technical publications

Trade and technical publications are a highly important group in the public-relations picture. In classifying these publications which deal with business or professional matters, their frequency of issuance is usually not a consideration. Some of these publications may be issued daily as several are, while others, which make up the great majority, may be issued either weekly or monthly.

In classifying a publication as a trade or technical publication, the determining factor is whether its readers are primarily confined to a particular industry, trade or profession, and whether the editorial content of the publication is exclusively devoted to the business or professional interests of such readers. On this basis, a daily which circulates to people in the metal trades is classified with business publications.

Publications directed to business men in general do not come under the same classification as those which are directed specifically to men in the same trade, profession or business. The former, such as Fortune, Nation's Business, and Business Week, are classified as "general" magazines although their editorial preoccupation is exclusively with business men. Field and Stream, although it has a specialized readership, is also considered a "general" magazine since its readers are primarily those who hunt and fish for sport rather than those who are engaged in the sporting-goods business.

In its manner of functioning, a business or professional magazine is similar to a "general" magazine. For instance, the editor of a business publication, like the editor of a "general" magazine, usually has specialists among his sub-editors. As an illustration, take a magazine in the automobile manufacturing field. Such a magazine may have, in addition to its editor-in-chief, a technical editor who devotes himself to new products and changes in design, another technical editor who deals with production processes and materials, and a third sub-editor who considers the industry from the standpoint of sales policies, dealer relations, government relations, and the like.

In using trade and technical publications, the public-relations worker will find that they resemble newspapers as well as magazines. Most news stories which a newspaper is willing to publish about a business or institution are also likely to be of interest to one or more of the business publications. In the case of the business-paper editor, however, the public-relations worker may make a better impression if he submits a separate version of the news item written in more technical language or with more detailed illustrations. In addition to these news items, the trade press makes use of feature articles of magazine character dealing with the interests of its readership.

Business publications are of particular value to the public-relations worker if he represents a business concern which sells its products chiefly to other companies rather than to the public at large. These publications are of direct interest to such companies, and any message which these publications carry is likely to be more effective than if published in some other kind of periodical. Furthermore, these publications provide one of the best means of addressing a message to dealers or prospective dealers. Maintaining good public relations with dealers or store operators is an important function of most businesses. Often the solution to a sales problem lies not in more advertising or in product improvements, but in obtaining more dealers or stimulating the already franchised dealer outlets to greater efforts.

Magazines vs. Newspapers

To the public-relations worker, it is of little importance whether magazines or newspapers have greater influence in forming public opinion and in causing action of one kind or another. The reason for this is that the essence of skilled and resourceful practice in the public-relations field is the telling of a story through all types of media, to the fullest extent practicable.

As a general observation, newspapers have more space than magazines, are more devoted to the day's happenings, have a greater local influence, and give a more frequent repetition to a message. On the other hand, while magazines have less space than newspapers, they are more selective, they have more of a national influence, except in the case of local magazines, and a single issue has a longer influence in point of time than does a newspaper, since one issue of a magazine is not immediately superseded by another as is the case with a newspaper.

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