Research into UK publication companies

Bauer:
Key characteristics:
Bauer is the largest privately owned publisher in Europe, publishing in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Additionally, Bauer publishes in the United States and Mexico. At the beginning of 2008, Bauer expanded its portfolio further by acquiring Emap’s Radio and Consumer Magazine divisions and changed the name of these new UK businesses to Bauer Media.

Examples of magazines:
Closer, Heat, Grazia, Bella, Take a Break, That’s Life, FHM, Zoo, TV Choice, Empire, Mojo, Max Power.
With the recent expansion with Emap, Bauer has become the largest mainstream production company in the UK. They play a key role in Men’s, Women’s and music magazine markets.

Target Audience:
Bauer’s target audience is based specifically around that of Women’s Weeklies, Women’s Interest, Women’s Lifestyle, TV Listings, Puzzles, Men’s Lifestyle, Music & Film and Specialist magazine markets. The audiences of these magazine markets all contribute to the audience of Bauer. The brand’s image is summed up well on their website, ‘Bauer will continue to innovate, driving its business and the ever-evolving magazine market forward’.


IPC Media:
Key characteristics:
IPC Media is a leading UK consumer magazine publisher. IPC is owned by Time Inc., the publishing division of Time Warner Inc. Their business is split into five distinct publishing divisions: IPC Connect, IPC Inspire, IPC Ignite, IPC Southbank and IPC TX. Alongside these is Marketforce, the UK's leading magazine distribution business.

Examples of magazines:
NME, Wallpaper, Golf Monthly, TV & Satellite Week, Nuts, Marie Claire, Country Life, Woman’s Own.
Their digital properties include NME.com, the third largest commercial music website in the UK and housetohome.co.uk, the UK's first homes portal. IPC's brands are very simply at the heart of the UK's cultural life

Target Audience:
IPC's diverse print and digital portfolio offers something for everyone. Almost two in every three UK women and over 44% of UK men read an IPC magazine. That's over 26 million UK adults.


Development Hell:
Key Characteristics:
Set up by ex-Emap executives David Hepworth, Jerry Perkins, Mark Ellen and Andrew Harrison. Business plan to launch three magazines over six years. Among the Development Hell team are some of the most experienced and respected operators in British magazines including The Word’s Editor Mark Ellen, and former Editorial Director of Q, Mixmag and Smash Hits, Andrew Harrison.

Examples of magazines:
Development Hell currently publishes two magazines, The Word and Mixmag. We have provided consultancy for some of Britain’s biggest publishers such as Dennis, Future and IPC and were hired by Paul McCartney to produce the souvenir magazine for his 2002 World Tour. Development Hell Ltd is an independent magazine publishing company based in Islington, London.

Target audience:
Developments Hell’s target audience consists of music and entertainment fans generally of an older age due to The Word being generally based around this area, and Mixmag which is a clubbing magazine, which is connected to the music scene.

BBC:
Key Characteristics:
BBC Magazines uses incorporate magazine publishing since they have radio and television which helps to promote with their product. ‘BBC Magazines provide a range of quality publications you can trust’ (as quoted on their website).

Examples of magazines:
BBC magazines are spilt into groups on the website Adult, Teens, Children’s and Pre-School, examples of magazines are:Adult -Top Gear, Radio Times, Lonely Planet Magazine and Focus Teen Top Of The Pops Children’s - Doctor Who Adventures, All About Animals and Match Of The Day MagazinePre-School - Bob The Builder, Cbeebies Animals, Toy Box and Teletubbies.
BBC magazines are commercial subsidiary.

Target audience:
‘From inspiring you to create a beautiful home and garden to entertaining and educating your children BBC Magazines provide a range of quality publications you can trust.’ This shows that the magazine appeals to a range of people with different people and age groups. This can be seen evident through the magazines that they have produced which range from Top Gear to Cbeebies.