Main Task - Audience Research and Institutions

Audience Research – NME Magazine

The company that owns NME is IPC Media, who are owned by Time Inc. IPC (International Publishing Corporation) is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. IPC Media have divided their current titles into 5 divisions under these headings: Connect (women's weeklies such as Now Magazine and Look), Inspire (leisure and specialist), Ignite! (men's lifestyle and entertainment), SouthBank (women's lifestyle and home interest), and TX (portfolio of television titles). Other products produced by IPC Media include:

·   IPC Newspapers (including The People and The Daily Herald from Odhams, as well as the Daily Mirror and Sunday Pictorial).

·   IPC Magazines, publishing the consumer magazines and comics.

·   IPC Trade and Technical, publishing the specialist magazines (later known as IPC Business Press Ltd).

·   IPC Books, handling all book publishing (headed by Paul Hamlyn, whose own company had been acquired by IPC).

·   IPC Printing, handling all non-newspaper printing operations (headed by Arnold Quick, whose own company had also been acquired by IPC).

·   IPC New Products, a launching pad for products which used new technology (headed by Alistair McIntosh).

Key Statistics:

Male:                      74%

Female:                  26%

Median age:            23

Student:                 42%

ABC1:                     68%

Circulation:             33,875

Readership:             325,000

ABCe Unique Users: 5,342,246

The target audience is predominantly male, as the statistics show that 74% of NME readers are male, and 26% are female. Also, the median age is 23 which shows that the magazines target audience is mainly people in their early 20’s.

Readers have a strong relationship with NME and completely trust the well established brand. Reader research has shown that they rely on the editorial and ads to keep them up to date with new music; this knowledge makes them the authority in music in their social groups. NME readers tend to buy a new DVD every month, which is higher than the national average, and so featuring new films in the magazine influences the readers. NME readers are also influenced when it comes to mobile phones. They are over twice as likely to convince friends and family about what mobile phones to buy.

This research will help me with my product as this magazine is similar to the one I will be creating. From their statistics I can see who the target audience is and what type of people are more likely to buy it. Also I can see what type of things the audience of the magazine are influenced by and what type of things they expect to see. Also, it is clear that NME is a well trusted magazine by the public, and that they rely on it to get the newest information on music, to gain authority within their social groups. I can also see what other products IPC Media make.