The Year So Far

The Year So Far magazine will take a look at some of the biggest and most interesting news stories from the past six months. In addition to just news, this magazine will feature sport, technology, film, books, music, fashion and any other culturally significant events from the past months.

The Year So Far will be publish two issue a year, one in June and one in December. Each will look back on the past six months at have a roundup of all the big news stories. The magazine will also look at sports from football to tennis to golf to formula one, looking at the top sports stars in the world from the past half a year. There will be a section on the technological developments and technology trends that have been prominent that year.


The magazine will also look at the best and the worst films, music and books that have been released with sections of the magazine devoted to each as well. We will also explore the latest fashion trends that have dominated society. The main feature of the magazine will be an article counting down the 20 most important men and women from the past six months, who can be on there for anything as long as they have done something important or significant.

This magazine will be unlike any other as it will chronicle society and culture every six months and not just be normal weekly or monthly news magazine.


The target audience for our publication will be 18-35 year old men and women, who live in cities and have an active interest in news and culture, most specifically the millennial generation, who this magazine is aimed at. 

The magazine title will not actually be 'The Year So Far' but 2014 So Far or 2016 So Far and the title The Year So Far will act as a brand name like Now That's What I Call Music is compilation music brand. 

A Changing Industry - PEST

The politics of the publishing industry are shifting, from the powerful to the everyman. While the rich aristocracy, who owned the publishing companies, formally dictated what was considered ‘good writing’ the ability to self-publish online is providing an open platform for the public. Although this opportunity is not without its problems, the legalities of ownership rights being one, this semi–amateur nature of digital publishing changes the traditional narrative of the industry.

Economically speaking, this is a positive change. For aspiring authors, or those so far relatively unknown, online publishing may be more profitable as they eliminate the middleman. Online publishing can also increase the distribution, which would increase circulation, whether it be books or magazines, this could only be beneficial to profits. The nature of digital publishing and the popularity of the e-reader has even widened the industry, with an opportunity for profit for outside companies. As our increasingly green society steps away from the paper trail of traditional publishing, and towards the economically friendly e-reader, hardware creators such as Apple and Amazon stand to gain in the digitization. It is not just the author and publisher who will make money.

With the advancements of technology in the industry, publishing is becoming increasingly social. Online publishing is impacting on the authorship of books by making it a social rather than solitary occupation; blogs that post chapter-by-chapter can allow the feedback from readers’ commentary to effect the direction of the narrative. Social media allows you to be an engaging community rather than just an isolated reader. The popularity and convenience of e-readers is no surprise considering the shift in attitude towards technology in recent generations, compared with our older relatives.

The technological advancements have without a doubt massively affected the publishing industry as it tries to adapt, and with their potential for constant improvement they seem able to change it further in the future. This effect can threaten traditional publishers and force them to compete in order to survive; such as Barnes and Noble and the ‘Nook’ (Erin Carreiro: Electronic Books: How Digital Devices and Supplementary New Technologies are Changing the Face of the Publishing Industry). For the consumer, the technology can be both positive and negative. While the technology does allow you to connect with the text and use social media to input your opinions, having a digital version with constantly changing commentary on it means you never get a complete, single version of the text. Either way, technology is by no means destroying the publishing industry, instead it is providing extra platforms through which we can interact and consume. 

Digital Media in the Publishing Industry

Reading alone has become as old-fashioned as print itself. Thanks to the growth of technology, readers are now seeking to form online communities around their favourite authors and books. The politics of piracy that have plagued the music industry with the growth of digital has been suggested as a similar threat to the print industry. However, by embracing  this change, we have created a whole new way of enjoying books, not threatening them. Ranging from the ‘sticky websites’ Hollander uses to describe online forums and websites, to everyday social media, the e-book allows its readers to post information, thoughts or even share books themselves online, transforming the art of reading into a new, sociable experience

The current economical climate goes hand in hand with technological aspects of today’s society. Reduced print circulation and general income alongside price rises has forced the publishing industry into seeking innovative ways to get their materials read, and still make a profit. Online publishing reduces the costs incurred when producing material in print. Digital media is not only cheaper than print, it is more accessible and user friendly. (World Newsmedia Innovation) The convenience at reading materials on the go can result in clawing in an unexpected  reader, in addition to saving on expenditure.

Furthermore, the social habits of consumers has changed considerably in this new digital age. Hollander also discusses the constant need for innovative concepts and ideas, leaving customers craving the next big thing. This fast-paced, instant culture has developed a need for us to have the newest craze as soon as possible, and this is what digital was created for. E-books mean that customers no longer have to wait, or leave the house to buy the next best seller: it’s already there. 

Technology is the driving force behind the key changes in the publishing industry. The need to create new technologies, or to use existing ones in an innovative way has become the focal point of our society, the publishing industry no less. In a world where nothing exists if not on a screen, books have had to reinvent themselves to reach a wider audience. The invention of e-books, in addition to online publications has not only kept the industry up to speed with the rest of the world, but it has also created a new way to access our most valued materials.

PEST Analysis for Media Journalism

By carrying out a PEST Analysis into the current Media Journalism sector, we are able to gain an in-depth understanding of the current industry, highlight new opportunities and also threats or problems and how these can be over come.

The Internet and advances in digital technology has changed the model of mass communication and has had a major impact on the external environment of the newspaper and magazine industries, gradually substituting traditional print media. Digital media has also increased competitiveness within the market and with low capital cost and global accessibility of resources, this has been a threat for many established prints publications. Many existing newspapers have therefore had to compliment their daily prints with online version and further updates throughout the day, instead of waiting for updates till their next publication to be released.

The current economical climate also means that people may be less likely to buy a newspaper or magazine when they could access this information free online - either via newspaper websites, independent websites, blogs or forums. This has had a knock on effect for companies who may have previously used print promotion to reach consumers, as their target consumers might be struggling to buy products, they may have smaller marketing budget or may be choosing to spend their budget on other promotional platforms.

The current economical climate has also led to the public becoming less trusting of the government and therefore, it is easy for consumers to avoid certain publications depending on their political standpoint. With developments in technology and an increased access to resources and information it also means that the public are more likely to investigate news stories themselves - allowing more transparency and angles to a story.

Socially peoples needs are also changing in the way readers access information. More people are accessing digital and social media and by going online, newspaper and magazines can offer their readers multimedia and interaction - something which was not possible only a few years ago.

Has Digital Changed The Book?

Digital rights management has become of increasing importance as e-book sales have continued to rise. Originally, e-book royalty rates for the author stood at 25%. Little attention was paid to this decision, as sales were relatively low. (Bartlett and Bradley). The politics of selling books online needs to be re-evaluated if the author is to make the majority of their income through this medium. Copyright issues are increasingly linked to material shared online.

Piracy is a concern and there have been efforts to prevent the book being copied and sent to others for free. S. Wallis suggests however, that ‘lending’ people books and similarly borrowing books from public libraries has also always been free and that the majority of books have usually been circulated in this way for many years. Apple has gone some way to addressing this issue, allowing media to be shared between up to five computers.

Customers are increasingly in control of the book content that they are being offered, although they are offered it in abundance. The job of the publisher has been reduced as digital authorship removes the distance between the author and the reader. Contribution from the reader begins to influence the writing itself. Authors creating online books allow focus groups to comment on their material, essentially changing the content of the book as it is written. Craig Mod suggests that this digital impermanence changes the book from an “isolated vessel” to a “shared interface” but de-emphasizes the authority of distribution. In this sense, removing the publisher can in some cases mean that quality becomes lost within the vast digital landscape.

E-books are bringing an interactive community to the otherwise rather solitary task of reading via the Internet. Connected customers are given the chance to determine their own experiences with a book through “sticky websites deployed along with social media.” (Sam Hollander) They are able to engage with a related community and share notes and thoughts through the e-books themselves and through forums and websites. Digital technology also removes the sense of isolation by bringing the idea and the reader much closer together. Technology has a short life span, and this is one of the difficulties faced by companies attempting to innovate. To make money, money has to be invested in new ideas but with the ever-changing digital world, these changes need to be appropriate and easily accessible technology. 

Digital has not yet changed the book, but offered a different platform from which to read it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123980920727621353.html