LO1 - Unit 1 -Analysing Media

products and audiences

(Magazine)
By Emily Farrant - Harris
Bauer Media group ownership
Founded in 1875 Bauer Media group is a european publishing company
that is owned by Yvonne Bauer. She is the CEO and owns 85% of the
company itself. As the company has grown it has been managed by 5
different generations of the Bauer family. Other important higher level staff
members that aid the production of Bauer media group include Jörg
Hausendorf who is the managing director, Harald Jessen who is a member
of the executive board and Witold Wozniak who leads Bauer media Poland
and is a member of the executive board too. In the UK branch of Bauer
Media group, Paul Keenan is the CEO.
Bauer Media group ownership continued
Bauer media group are an extremely successful company as a result of their
ownership of various different brands and services. They stated themselves
that they are Britain's largest magazine publisher. This is only amplified as a a
result of them operating in over 19 countries globally as well as their portfolio
consisting of over 600 magazines, 400 digital products and over 100 radio and
tv stations, some of which enable them to connect with over 200 million
consumers.
Operating Model
Bauer Media Group are able to connect to their audiences by what they
describe as trying categorizing them by appealing to them with ‘cultural
connections’. This means that they look into what specific types of their
audience are interested in and apply this to their products and brands to
target them directly. They are able to appeal to their various different
audiences by using their interests or what is important to them.

They are also able to appeal to their audiences by making their products or
brands accessible in a way that suits them best. This means having digital
versions of any of their print based products so they can target audience that
connect more with magazines or services than are online instead.
Products
Bauer media group have produced and created various different
services/brands throughout the lifespan of their company. They have
ownership or control over many companies or brands that also include
things such as magazine subscription services, radio, television and more.
Specifically their portfolio as a company consists of brands and services
such as Take a break, TV Choice, Closer & Grazia (Magazines). As well as
these some others also include KISS FM & Magic. Their main products
mainly consist of TV, Radio and multiplatform/print media.
Marketing position and Competitors
Bauer media group are able to differ from their competitors by operating in
over 19 countries and not just within the UK. By operating in multiple different
countries they are able to have an audience on a much larger scale than if they
were to only operate in one country. Some of Bauer media groups main
competitors consist of those like Lagardère Group (who also specialise in mass
media) as well as Dennis Publishing too. Bauer media group are also able to
differ from their competitors as a result of the volume of brands or products
that they own and the fact that each of these different things are varied in the
sense that they target many different groups of people. For example having
products/magazines such as Model Rail, Mother & Baby, Bird Watching, Classic
Cars, Rock FM & Tv Choice.
 Production process
Bauer media group have a department that handle many key responsibilities
for their production services known as their production department. Some of
the things this group are responsible for are; print & paper purchasing,
organising production schedules, some management regarding advertising
and editorial content, development of materials and product management.

When producing a magazine the first thing that is necessary to establish is the
deadlines for certain aspects of the magazine so a production schedule can be
managed. After this the content can be organised so a plan for each story or
aspect of the magazine can be developed so each story can be proofread and
edited. After all of these steps the final check of the magazine should be done
so it can be then sent to be printed and then distributed.
Readership
One of what Bauer describes as their strongest audiences consists of people
aged between 16-34 year olds. This group consists of what Bauer calls
‘digitally native’ individuals which means they have grown up in the digital
age. This would suggest that they are fans of technology and use it regularly
(for example smartphones or tablets). Bauer media group have a wide
readership as its audience is very varied as a result of the wide range of
products and brands that reach different audiences that consist of people of
different ages and genders.
Marketing/promotion
Bauer media group market and promote their magazines by what
they mention to be market surveys of different target audience
groups and various different businesses or types of businesses. They
aim to meet the needs of their audience members through their
products or magazines. They are able to market their products by
targeting their audience members through services like
subscriptions and various different types of retailers.
Advertisers and Distribution
Bauer media group reach over 25 million consumers, they are known as Britain's biggest
magazine publisher and one of europe's largest privately owned media groups. They
operate in 19 different countries across the world , some of these places include the UK
as well as Germany, Poland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. They are represented
through many brands across the world too and have a portfolio that consists of over
1,000 products and brands. They have established many brands and services within
each country that they operate in.

They will get their brand out into the public eye by putting their products into
supermarkets and shops as well as the use of social media amongst younger audience
members too. They have various online services that allow people to view their content
or products online instead of in a print type format.
LO1-Unit 1- Analysing media
products and audiences
(Newspaper)
By Emily Farrant-Harris
News Corp UK & Ireland Ownership
This company is currently owned by the
American mass media company News Corp.
It is mainly known as a British newspaper
publisher and publishes some of the UK’s
most popular newspapers. The company
was founded over 36 years ago and currently
trades under the name ‘News UK’. The CEO
of News UK is Rebekah Brooks who has been
in this role in 2015.
Operating Model
News Corp UK & Ireland are able to appeal to their audiences by including stories in
their newspapers that directly appeal to them and the issues that they may care about
or be interested in. They are able to appeal to their audience as a result of the variation
of products they have. The three main products that News Corp UK & Ireland are most
known for are The Times, The Sunday Times & The Sun. Each of these newspapers
have different content that target different groups of people of different age groups and
social class for example. The Sun has consistently stayed the most read British
newspaper and has more than 7 million readers each day. This shows how they appeal
to their audience as the high volume of readers that remain committed to the same
paper each day.
Products
News Corp UK and Ireland (News UK) are mainly
responsible for releasing and owning products
that are newspapers. Some of the more well
known newspapers that they have been
responsible for publishing are The Times, The
Sunday Times and The Sun. Some other things
that News UK have ownership or control over
include Fabulous Bingo, Storyful, Wireless
Group and The Sunday Times Wine club.
Marketing position and Competitors
News Corp UK & Ireland are able to differ from their competitors by their
ownership of various newspapers that each differ from each other. They are
able to target multiple different groups of people within their audience
through the content that they have in each of their most popular newspapers.
They differ from their competitors by attracting very two different audience.
The Sun and The Time target two completely different groups of people.
Some of News UK’s biggest competitors are Guardian News & Media LTD,
Telegraph Media Group LTD and Associated Newspapers LTD. It is said that
the biggest competitor for News UK is DMG Media which is owned by DMGT
(Daily Mail and General trust Plc.) who publish newspapers such as the Daily
Mail.
Production process
The printers for the various newspapers that are produced by News UK are located in
Broxbourne in the UK and the site is 40 acres big. The production process for creating a
newspaper starts with obtaining the information to put in the newspaper itself,
obtaining the most relevant news stories that suit the style of the newspaper and its
audiences. The stories are overlooked by various staff members including editors. It is
also important to sort out the advertising aspect of each newspaper deciding on the
business that will advertise within the newspaper. Next comes the composition of the
newspaper which means staff members deciding on which sections are placed in what
part of the newspaper. Finally comes the printing of the newspapers and then
distributing them accordingly.
Readership
As a result of News UK’s variety of products / their ownership of many different
newspapers it is very likely that their readership will consist of many types or groups of
people. Each one of the more popular newspapers that are owned by News UK are
likely to have different kinds of audiences, some of which will be considerably similar to
the other. In the age of social media it is very likely that any audiences that News UK
have are based around people of a more mature age as it is stereotypically uncommon
for younger people to show interest in reading the newspaper on a regular basis.
Although, newspapers such as The Sun may interest younger audience because of their
content and connections to the internet. For example The Sun states how their
audiences more recently consists of those age 15-34 & their readers are both print and
mobile based. The Times however targets a range of different age groups but can
mostly be considered more popular with those over 65+ with a more male based
audience.
Marketing & promotion
News Corp UK and Ireland market and promote their products by targeting the
content of their newspapers to audiences that care about the events happening
the world right now. They are able to use social media to promote different
stories happening in the news so members of their target audience can expect to
purchase the newspaper and read about the stories in more detail. They can
utilise platforms such as facebook to tease their audience by releasing smaller
preliminary articles about bigger stories that attract their audience to the full
version of the newspaper.
Advertisers & Distribution
News Corp UK & Ireland (News UK) have products that are distributed
nationally throughout the UK. The Newspapers that they are responsible for
publishing are known nationally across the UK. As News UK is a part of a much
larger company some of the newspapers that they produce are known also on
a global level too, this is also due to the other forms of media in which the
newspapers and their stories present themselves too. The newspapers that
they produce are usually advertised and distributed through social media or
online services or can be purchased or seen across a variation of different
shops across the UK and sometimes even globally.
Distribution channels

● The Sun distributes their newspaper through a variation of different distribution

channels, the most common form of distribution channel used by the Sun is
retailers (different shops). The internet is also used as one of the Sun's main
methods for distribution which includes their own app. Using retailers to distribute
their newspaper means that they are able to reach more varied audience as a
wide range of audience members will see the newspaper in a shop. Different
people will have access to the newspaper through whichever distribution form
reaches them first. It is proven that the Sun reaches a large number of their target
audience by what they have stated about how ‘£1 in every £7 spent at a
supermarket is spent by a reader of the Sun’.
Advertising and marketing

The Sun reaches a part of its intended audience through the use of social media for
advertising and marketing purposes as they are able to appeal to a wider audience (for free)
on social media (to younger audience members). The Sun also advertise on television and in
stores as well which enables them to reach audience members who are a little bit older that
they are less likely to see the appeal of the newspaper through things such as social media.
By advertising on social media and on tv the audience members of the sun are likely to be
targeted as they will see at least one of these forms of advertising/marketing.
Promotion
The Sun are able to promote the content that that is in their newspaper through the use of social
media, they are able to utilise their accounts or pages on social media to promote their brand and
reach their audience members by sharing the information that is included in recent versions of their
newspaper. The Sun are also able to promote their newspaper through sponsored posts on social
media or posts that attract their target audience which includes things such as competitions. If their
pages post about topics or certain people that their audience like this will circulate and as a result the
newspaper will gain more promotion like a ripple effect.
Distribution channels
Grazia distribute their magazine using various different methods of distribution. The main form of
distribution that is utilised by Grazia is retailers (shops). Grazia can be purchased in many different
types of store including supermarkets, newsagents/corner shops and places such as Boots. Content
included in Grazia can also be read by their distribution on the internet. Dedicated Grazia readers are
also able to subscribe to Grazia too so they never miss an issue and it will get delivered however
regularly a new issue gets released.
Advertising and marketing
Grazia reaches their intended audience by advertising on social media platforms, they own various
accounts on different social media platforms where they are able to share posts which relate to the
most recent edition of the magazine which could encourage individuals included within their target
audience to buy the print version of the magazine. In the past Grazia have also advertised and
marketed their magazine through television adverts. By advertising and marketing on both social
media and on television they are able to appeal to a wider audience. This is because a social media is
more likely to appeal to the younger women included in their target audience and television adverts
reach a wider range of individuals.
Promotion
As some of Grazia’s audience members consist of younger women they rely on social media to
promote their magazine. They have both Instagram and Facebook pages so they are able to promote
the content that is in their magazine as well as interacting with their audience members. They will
appeal to their audience members who heavily rely on social media by posting different things that
relate to them to promote the brand of Grazia. Grazia will also be able to promote their magazine and
brand by using celebrity endorsement. This would work for a brand such as Grazia through featuring
celebrities on the front cover or in interviews resulting in them posting about this online which will
generate more popularity for the magazine. They also promote the magazine through hosting
competitions for their readers.