Current Event 6

HGTV Magazine

     This article talks about a growing trend of having the same issue on newsstands with different covers. The practice of doing this helps capture more readers as well as combat digital media competition. It also helps increase ad revenue for the company who's advertisement is in the front cover. I was surprised to find how many magazines actually do this. It gives the company more opportunities to showcase their creativity, which everyone likes to take advantage of. Using more than just one photo also helps the magazine to get more out of their cover photo shoots.

     I talked to a few coworkers about the article and here is what I gathered:

     Our magazine does not produce multiple covers because we are still a relatively new company and the cost of having more than one photo shoot for the cover is too high. We would have to do multiple photo shoots because the furniture that is usually shown on our cover is either built for our use or a heavy-duty piece of furniture that requires the use of a third party to get it to and from the studio and our office. Our covers are always very bright and we have had no problem attracting readers thus far.

     As far as our industry goes, the use of multiple covers is raising competition between like magazines. Although the common quote is "don't judge a book by it's cover," the cover is what drives a good amount of impulse buys at the stores who are selling these magazines. It also is a way for these print magazines to stay as updated as the can with the digital magazines that undergo constant change. More and more magazines are jumping on the bandwagon of multiple covers and it will only continue to increase.

     Everyone agreed that this concept is a good thing. It keeps every magazine on their toes and also will heighten competition. It also makes magazines racks more fun and keeps it from looking the same each week and just collecting dust.

Elliott, Stuart (June 23, 2013) A Multiplicity of Magazine Covers, and Just as many reasons, Retreived on July 3, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/business/media/a-multiplicity-of-magazine-covers-and-just-as-many-reasons.html?_r=1&