Magazines: Oh Comely - Industry

Iceberg Press:

1) Why did the people behind Iceberg Press set it up?

• the website states that 'Iceberg exists to do things differently. To usher in a new age for magazines and media brands.'

2) What is the Iceberg Press mission statement? (It's on the Why Are We Here page and is a series of statements).

• It's all about the audience.
• Chase the work, not the money.
• Compromise isn't our friend.
• We will always make time for ideas.
• We are stronger when we work with others.
• We want good people to work in a good place.
• Every year we will help a cause that matters.
• We believe in a thing called Print.

3) What are the two magazines that Iceberg Press publishes?

• iceberg press is the publisher for Oh Comely and The Simple Things

4) What similarities do you notice between The Simple Things magazine and Oh Comely?

• the similarities between the simple things and oh comely are that they both have minimalist niche styles, both have a feminine take on design aswell as a non sexualised cover star

5) What differences can you find between Hearst UK, publisher of Men's Health, and Iceberg Press?

• Hearst UK is a subsidiary of Hearst communications where as iceberg press is a independent print company 
• iceberg reaches a significantly lower audiences , due to its niche target audience, as compared to mens health who are a mainstream magazine

Writer's Edit journal article

1) What is the definition of an independent print magazine?

• independent print magazine: a magazine that is published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution. The producers of the magazine have entire control over the publication and distribution of the magazine. 

2) What does Hamilton (2013) suggest about independent magazines in the digital age?

• Though living in the digital age , Hamilton suggests that independent magazines are"quietly thriving even as the global newspaper and book industries falter”  

3) What is the aim of Kinfolk magazine and what similarities can you draw with Oh Comely?

• kinfolk's aim is finding “ways for readers to simplify their lives, cultivate community and spend more time with their friends and family”
• similarities between Oh Comely and Kinfolk are that both magazines target a niche audience aswell as they both focus on creating content that personally gratifies the reader and lastly, they both focus on lifestyle and have a minimalist design 

4) Why does the article suggest that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers such as Bauer are struggling?

• the article suggests that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers arent because of the fact that global magazine publishers are struggling to keep their reader from switching from print to digital 

5) How do independent magazines launch? Look at the example of Alphabet Family Journal.

• independent magazines often launch online through crowd funding which is when funding a project or venture people raise money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount to help 'kickstart' the company  

6) What does the article suggest about how independent publishers use digital media to target their niche audiences?

• Independent publishers use digital media to target their niche audience by staying connected and including new and Interesting media interests within there content 

7) Why is it significant that independent magazines are owned and created by the same people? How does this change the creative process and direction of the magazine?

• It’s important that independent magazines are owned and created by the same people because of the personal relationship/ gratification the reader receives from having a personal touch to the magazines content 

8) What does the article suggest regarding the benefits of a 'do-it-yourself' approach to creating independent magazines? 

• “The term do it yourself/do it with others emphasises semiotic self determination in how citizens formulate and live out their identities and actions as citizens” the article suggests a collaborative community that works to bring content together 

9) The article discusses the audience appeal of print. Why might audiences love the printed form in the digital age?

• In the digital age ‘past’ trends are what are in fashion and are considered trendy thus meaning the idea of traditional print is what is an aesthetic many people wish to have 

10) What are the challenges in terms of funding and distributing an independent magazine?

• Independent magazines often have to rely on digital networks to fund and distribute which can be unreliable at times 

Irish Times feature
1) Why are independent magazines so popular?

• Independent magazines focus on specific content that hardly any mainstream magazines do which thus make them more personal and therefore more popular 

2) Why is the magazine publishing industry set up to favour the big global conglomerates?

• the magazine publishing industry is set up to favour the big global conglomerates as those (bigger companies) with multiple titles, large sales teams and economies of scale

3) What does the article suggest regarding finding an audience for an independent magazine?

• the article suggests that regarding finding an audience for an independent magazine should include finding the right size audience for the magazine 
• the article states that "Make your subject too broad (a magazine about football) and you will get lost in the crowd. Make it too narrow (a magazine about redheads who support Bohemians) and your audience will be too small."

4) What are the challenges for magazine distributors?

• Shipping boxes of magazines is expensive, and with publishers taking all the risk (they pay for both shipping, and if the magazines don’t sell, the price of shipping them back).

5) The article suggests that many independent magazines only make money by diversifying into other products. What examples do they give?

• setting up events for other audiences
• creating and selling merchandise 

TCO interview with Ruth Jamieson

1) Why does Ruth Jamieson suggest there's a renaissance in independent publishing?

• Ruth Jamieson suggests that quick read print is dying due to the internet surge ,but  online circumstances have meant that independent publishers are thriving with their 'crafted, collectible' magazine

2) What are the common themes for successful independent magazines?

• Being unique is a common theme for successful independent magazines as they offer new content that is less conventional to other magazines
• having a personalized touch to the magazine is also a common theme to provide a personal connection from the reader to editor  

3) How many of these aspects can you find in Oh Comely? Make specific reference to the CSP pages where possible.

• Oh Comely uses many themes within its magazines, the 'speak out' addition in the magazine specifically emphasizes the personalized aspect within Oh Comely as all features are all from different backgrounds all with different stories that some readers could relate to which proves the fact that Oh Comely likes to provide personal connections to their readers   

4) How does Jamieson see the future for the magazine industry?

• Jamieson argues that the future for the magazine industry will be that "mainstream magazines will become somewhat less mainstream" 
• Jamieson also suggests that the content of magazines and how they are promoted will matter alot more in the digital age 

5) How might this future impact Oh Comely? Do you think Oh Comely will survive the next five years - and why?

• i do think that Oh Comely will face some hardship in its struggle to stay stable but because of its specific targeted audience and specific content, they may be able to stay relevant as more and more people are being exposed to niche brands and media texts which could be very beneficial for Oh Comely in the future