Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

A “magazine” is a type of periodical characterized by entertaining and miscellaneous matter written by more than one author, often with illustrations. It is usually distinguished from a newspaper by containing less news coverage and by a lower frequency (weekly, monthly, or less). In the nineteenth century magazines were distinguished from reviews or quarterlies by an emphasis on light entertainment, and by the inclusion of →  fiction. From around 1910 the term “little magazines” came to denote low-circulation periodicals produced by and for the avant-garde. Since the twentieth century, “magazine” has been used above all to denote entertainment periodicals with a high visual content. There are various ways of classifying magazines. The closest to the core meaning of “magazine” for most people today comprise the expensive “glossies” on high-quality, glossy paper. These promote consumer culture, sometimes with global reach and national variations ( Cosmopolitan [1886–], Vogue [1892–], GQ [1958–], Time Out [1968–], NME [1952–]). Related but usually less glamorous are the highly specialized or local publications such as Book and Magazine Collector (1984–), Kent Life (UK, 1962–), and Metropolis (Tokyo, 1994–). They mainly derive profits from advertising revenue. Glossies are often differentiated from “pulps,” printed on low-quality wood-pulp paper. These latter comprise ... log in or subscribe to read full text