Key features to know about magazines and newspapers Education

Key features to know about magazines and newspapers

Magazines and newspapers have become a part of our daily lives. Millions of people get news through these two types of print media daily. If we look at the history of newspaper publishing, we find that the newspaper used to get published twice or thrice a week or monthly, and magazines at least four times a year. One can purchase them through subscriptions from magazines & newspaper agencies or newsstands, bookstores, train stations, supermarkets, etc.

Difference between magazines and newspaper
Even though the purpose of these two modes of communication is the same, there is a fundamental difference. A newspaper is a serial publication containing current and other world news. Being a printed publication circulating daily across the globe, it is a primary and reliable source of information. Some of the most famous and widely circulated newspapers are –

  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • The Washington Post
  • New York Post
  • The Guardian

Regarding magazines, they are based on topics like science, literature, entertainment, fashion, sports, technology, and much more. Most magazines get published weekly, fortnightly, or monthly and are dedicated to specific consumers. Some examples are:

  • Forbes
  • Harvard Business Review
  • TIME Magazine
  • The Economist Magazine
  • Outlook Magazine

Almost all magazines and newspapers are published online too to reach potential consumers every day at any time. This is one of the reasons why these publications are getting popular and impacting consumers.

Types of newspapers
Different types of magazines and newspapers are available nowadays, and people access them as per their choice. Some of them are:

National newspaper
This newspaper type is circulated in every part of the country containing news on current events of general and special interests. Still, it retains international news but needs to be more elaborate.

Regional newspaper
Regional newspapers are all about delivering local news and topics in full detail. Some of the regional newspapers have short international sections too. However, these newspapers remain restricted to a particular territory.

Local newspaper
The local newspaper is like a regional newspaper but with a core difference. This newspaper focuses more significantly on local events like sports, crime, weather, business, economy, etc. Local magazine and newspaper agencies ensure the local people remain updated always.

Tabloid newspaper
A tabloid newspaper is mostly all about sensational stories with photographs. This newspaper contains short news printed on small pages.

Broadsheet newspaper
This newspaper contains serious news that is printed on large sheets of paper. Due to its higher news content, you have to shell out extra to buy this newspaper, which is why it is relatively lower in circulation than other newspapers.

Types of magazines

Consumer magazine
Consumer magazines are today’s most circulated and popular magazine type. One of the reasons for its rapid popularity is its consumer type, i.e., the general public. This consumer magazine can also be divided into several categories:

General interest magazines
These magazines publish news on almost all the categories that a certain age people would find interesting.

Cooking magazines
You can hardly skip the cooking magazine section regarding consumer magazines. This magazine type provides recipes and culinary tips to their consumers. People remain updated with the latest news on food, chefs, and different food preparations through online cooking magazines nowadays. As a result, its readership has grown exponentially over the years.

Fashion magazine
Vogue doesn’t skip our minds when discussing fashion magazines. Fashion magazines are iconic in their way. Fashion enthusiasts voraciously consume every detail of every fashion tip through this magazine type.

Technology magazine
We can’t deny the importance of technology in today’s time. We must keep updated with the latest tech and gadget news. That is where technology magazines become significant. Some top technology magazines are Wired, Popular Mechanics, MIT Technology Review, Tech Advisor, etc.

Business magazine
If you love magazines and newspapers, you will want to look at business magazines. Business magazines provide the latest economic information, trends, technology, finance, etc.

Digital media types and their importance
Since everything is online nowadays, you should know about different digital media types and how they have contributed significantly to forming a large consumer base. Some of the top 5 types of digital media are:

  • TV and radio
  • Websites and social media
  • Email and SMS
  • Mobile apps
  • Modern formats like augmented reality and 3D designs