Magazine Research: Media Image/Audience Behavior Research

Newsweek Media Research Index

Magazine Research: Media Image/Audience Behavior Research

1954 - SOCIAL RESEARCH, INC. FOR GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - WOMEN AND ADVERTISING: A MOTIVATIONAL STUDY OF THE ATTITUDES OF WOMEN TOWARD EIGHT MAGAZINES

To discover whether there was a measurable difference in response by women to advertising in service magazines compared to women's response to advertising in weekly magazines.

1956 - SOCIAL RESEARCH, INC. FOR GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - BUYING MOOD STUDY

Attempts to prove the hypothesis that the editorial nature of the magazine affects the way advertising is viewed.

1957 - ALFRED POLITZ FOR SATURDAY EVENING POST THE READERS OF THE SATURDAY EVENING POST

For readers of the SEP, this study describes the demographics, product ownership and purchase characteristics, reading habits and attitudes toward the magazine.

1957 - SINDLINGER & CO. - MAGAZINE AUDIENCE ACTION

A report on Life, Time, Newsweek and Reader's Digest showing the level of "Know About," appeal (Want-to-Read), intensity of appeal and the probable audience.

1960 - SINDLINGER & CO. - MAGAZINE AUDIENCE ACTION

Similar to the 1957 study except that the list of magazines analyzed was increased from four to 37.

1960 - DANIEL YANKELOVICH FOR BUSINESS WEEK - AS THEIR READERS SEE THEM

A study of "apperceptive values" of six magazines, showing that the stronger these values are, the more likely is the management reader to read the advertising with active interest, receptiveness and purposefulness.

1961 - BOLGER CO. - MEDIA IMAGE PROFILES

A measurement and description of the personality or "image" of a general management publication by that publication's primary readers.

1962 - W R. SIMMONS FOR LADIES' HOME JOURNAL - A STUDY OF HOW THOROUGHLY WOMEN SAY THEY READ MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

In comparing housewife readers of three women's magazines with Life and Look, it was found that the women claim to have read the women's magazines more thoroughly.

1963 - MARKET FACTS FOR GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - A STUDY OF READER REACTIONS TO MAGAZINES

Homemaker readers have different perceptions and evaluations of different women's and general magazines. Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, McCall's, Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post were studied. The women's books achieved higher scores for attitudes toward food and food-related editorial.

1963 - ELMO ROPER & ASSOC. FOR WOMAN'S DAY - THE VALUE AND USE OF EDITORIAL CONTENT TO PRIMARY AND PASSALONG READERS OF FOUR MAJOR WOMEN'S MAGAZINES

An evaluation of WD and three other women's magamagazines from the standpoint of the value of editorial content to readers-both primary and passalong. Higher levels were found for primary and in-home readers involved with the publication.

1966 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR FAMILY CIRCLE - MAGAZINE READER ACTION STUDY AMONG ADULT FEMALE READERS

To establish the extent to which women readers actively use four women's magazines (Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal and McCall's). The study showed that readers of Family Circle took more action than readers of the other books.

1966 - MARCEL MARC, R.L. DUPUY ADVERTISING, PARIS - USING READING QUALITY IN MAGAZINE SELECTION - JAR, DECEMBER 1966

Qualitative data can be used to increase the efficiency of magazine selection if the way people read is transformed into a "probability of exposure to the ad."

1977 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR NEWSWEEK -NEWSWEEK'S EXPLORATION OF MAGAZINES' DAILY AUDIENCE ACCUMULATION PATTERNS AND INTER-MEDIA ACTIVITY PATTERNS

The first study of a newsweekly's single issue audience accumulation. It contains a report of activities which respondents were engaged in while interacting with magazines, newspapers, radio and television on a yesterday basis. The sample size of the study was 1,400 and it was conducted in the Milwaukee ADI. (Also listed under Intermedia.)

1977 - LIEBERMAN RESEARCH FOR PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE - HOW AND WHY PEOPLE BUY MAGAZINES

National study of consumer market for magazines. Information about magazine acquisition, reading involvement, and buying motivation.

1981 - J. MICHAEL MUNSON & W. AUSTIN SPIVEY - PRODUCT AND BRAND - USER STEREOTYPES AMONG SOCIAL CLASSES - JAR, AUGUST 1981

Analysis of the relationship between social class and perceptions of product classes and brands, including magazines. Significant differences were found among social classes, particularly for automobiles and magazines.

1983 - TIMOTHY JOYCE, MRI - PLACES OF READING - FROM THE 1983 MONTREAL SYMPOSIUM

Review of MRI data about different places where magazine reading can occur, and the value of this information. Includes analysis of place of reading by sex, age, education and geographic region; and by attitudes toward the magazine and actions taken. Observes that there is a strong association between place of reading with reader actions and reading time; less strong with reading days and reader attitudes; and a weak association with page openings. Concludes that for most magazine advertising, it would be wrong to consider out-of-home reading less valuable.

1983 - MARK D. MUNN, FAMILY CIRCLE - LIFE STYLES OF AMERICAN WOMEN AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO MAGAZINE READING - FROM THE 1983 MONTREAL SYMPOSIUM.

Report of national life style study conducted by Family Circle magazine to measure characteristics of women readers of 20 magazines. Analysis of life style was based on measures of (1) leisure-time activities; (2) attitudes toward personal life and society; (3) interest in various levels of magazine editorial. Analysis showed that life style clusters react differently to different kinds of magazines.

1984 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR NEWSWEEK - COLLEGE STUDENT MAGAZINE READERSHIP STUDY

Study comparing average issue readership, page exposure and reader perceptions of Newsweek On Campus vs. Ampersand, Directory Of Classes, Movie Magazine and Campus Voice (formerly Nutshell). Conducted by personal interviews with 600 students, by the through-the-book method. Study found Newsweek rated highest on awareness, readership and on characteristics such as interesting, writing quality and enjoyable.

1984 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR NEWSWEEK - HOW PROFESSIONALS/MANAGERS READ BUSINESS AND NEWSWEEKLY MAGAZINES

Comparison of magazine reading behavior and advertising ratings by middle and upper level executive readers of newsweeklies vs. business magazines. Respondents rated six test ads tipped into test issues of magazines. Study found that executives are more likely to read newsweeklies from cover to cover, while they are more likely to read business magazines by first looking at the table of contents and then going to a specific article. Study also found that executives give business ads appearing in both types of magazines similar ratings on all attributes measuring advertising appeal and "action taking".

1986 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR NEWSWEEK - HOW PROFESSIONALS/MANAGERS READ BUSINESS AND NEWSWEEKLY MAGAZINES, A LANDMARK STUDY - PHASE II

Follow-up to 1984 Newsweek study. Conducted by personal interviews with a sample of 252 executive readers of of newsweeklies and business magazines. Respondents were asked to rate attributes of business ads shown to them in each type of magazine. The results confirmed the 1984 findings; attribute ratings for the eight test ads were similar in both types of magazines, indicating similar ad performance in both types. Respondents were also asked to rate the magazines on their editorial treatment of six topics often covered by both types of publications. Newsweeklies were rated higher on four topics (political issues, government, international affairs, cultural events); business publications were rated higher in two areas (the economy, technology).

1987 - LIEBERMAN RESEARCH FOR FORTUNE - WHAT MAKES A HIGH QUALITY MAGAZINE

Study to explore perceptions of high quality products and magazines among a national sample of readers of Fortune, Forbes and Business Week. Conducted by mail; completed by 1,671 readers. Readers were asked to rate characteristics they use to judge high quality products and magazines. Example finding: photography was rated highest in importance as a cue to a very high quality magazine. Findings are reported for the three books separately and in combination.

1990 - AUDITS & SURVEYS FOR MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS OF AMERICA AND PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE - STUDY OF MAGAZINE BUYING PATTERNS - PRESENTATION TO 11/8/90 ABC MEETING

Summary of findings from study of magazine buying and reading behavior. Update of 1976 PCH study, "How and Why People Buy Magazines". Conducted in Spring 1990 by personal in-home interviews with adults in a representative sample of U.S. households. 960 interviews were completed in magazine subscribing households; and demographic data only were collected in 217 households not purchasing magazines. The study found that 81% of all households purchase magazines; of these, 27% purchase by subscription only, 17% by single-copy only and 59% by both methods. Types of information provided include: characteristics of purchasers and non-purchasers; reading behavior of subscribers versus single-copy buyers; sources of subscriptions and single copies; perceptions of costs and subscription incentives. A complete report will be published in early 1991. This survey also included media involvement measures for the four major media, reported in a separate presentation. (See 1990 Audits & Surveys listing in Intermedia Research section.)

1990 - SMRB WITH CAHNERS PUBLISHING COMPANY - THE AFFINITY INDEX AND ITS USE TO MEASURE COMMUNICATION THROUGH BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS - SEPTEMBER 27, 1990

Report of methodological research by SMRB to develop a measure of the relationship between specialized business publications and their readers. Conducted in three phases, including initial focus group work followed by two mail surveys among magazine readers. An Affinity Index based on 16 key variables was developed from this research. Affinity scores for specific publications and publication groups are reported. Findings concerning the relationship between the Affinity Index and perceived advertising effectiveness, and claimed reading frequency/intensity, for all publications combined are also reported.

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