Magazine Institution Research

I decided to investigate three music magazines and the institutions behind them. I chose NME, Mojo and Blender. I also chose these to see the poplarity with the public but also to see of there is room for another music magazine and to see if any of these magazines are similar to mine.

NME:
First Issue: 1952

Total Circulation: 56, 284

Frequency: Weekly

NME has been publisheed weeekly since March 1952. It was the first magazine to include a singles chart which first appeared on 14th November 1952. The magazine has been associated with punk rock due to the writings of Tony Parsons & Julie Burchill.

NME stands for New Musical Express. NME has been able to sponsor tours and up and coming bands each year and even have their own yearly awads ceremony even without the help of a major conglomorate behind them.


Mojo:

First Issue: 1993

Total Circulation: n/a

Frequency: Monthly

Mojo has been published by Bauer (subsidery of Emap) monthly in the UK. Following the success of Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title for the interest of classis rock. Recently the magazine has taken into publishing many 'Top 100 lists', including drug songs, rock epics and miserable songs among others. The company behind the magazine; Bauer, also produced a digital radio station named Mojo Radio making the Mojo name an Institution to branch into other types of media. The stataion was transmited on digital TV and online. On 5th November 2008 it was announced Mojo radio would stop broadcasting on 30th November 2008 to save parent company Bauer, money

Bauer Media Group which is a division of EMAP also own other radio stations such as Magic and Kiss FM.

Blender:

First Issue: 2001

Total Circulation: n/a

Frequency: 10 times per year

Blender Music Magazine billed itself as 'the ultimate guide to jusic and more'. It compiled lists of albums, artists, songs and best and worst lists. Owner Alpha Media Group closed Blender Magazine on March 26 2009 and reduced portfolio of titles to Maxim alone. The April 2009 issue of Blender is its last.

Emap owns many subsideries and therefore many different magazines. Although Mojo is owned by Bauer it is a division of EMAP. Blender also had the help of Alpha Media Group behind it; showing that most magazines nowadays need the help of a top conglomorate behind them.