Archive for the ‘Magazines’ Category

27
Jun

The History Of The Readers Digest Magazine

   Posted by: admin   in Magazines

There are hundreds of magazines available at any one time and it would be impossible to read them all. The original concept of the Readers Digest was to collect together and condense magazine articles, so the reader could conveniently read the best ones. This idea was to prove immensely popular and the magazine has been successful since its launch in 1922 through mail order. The first newsstand edition appeared in 1929.

The family monthly publication originated in the US and gradually spread across the world. There are now 49 foreign editions in 21 different languages, each country publishing content that is relevant to their local culture. It has been particularly popular in the UK since the first issue there in 1938. The Readers Digest still tops the poll in the US as the best selling consumer magazine in the country.

Some things go across borders and are popular across the world and items such as quizzes, jokes, puzzles and amusing anecdotes are staple favorites for Readers Digest readers. The articles from other publications have been joined by original articles too, in addition to regular columns and features. Readers are encouraged to send in their letters, jokes and stories. One of the most popular monthly features is the book excerpt. Readers especially like feel good stories where individuals struggle against the odds but win through in the end.

The magazine appeals to all age ranges and adults and teenagers can always find something that appeals to them. Readers Digest has always tackled controversial subject matter whilst still maintaining an ethos of family values. There is an advice column, regular interviews with celebrities and a word power feature for building a vocabulary. Entertainment, current affairs and true life adventures are all there. Other contributions include articles on health issues, business news, food and recipes and features on home décor and gardens.

This publication can be avidly enjoyed from cover to cover or readers can cherry pick their favorite features. Readers Digest also publish anthology versions of the magazine, available through subscription. These are called Select Editions and they offer the reader a chance to pursue a particular interest. There is an excellent web site for the magazine that contains message boards, cartoons, crossword puzzles and sodoku. The magazine is an institution and part of the culture, preserving its traditions and keeping up with modern trends.

Tags: book excerpt, magazine articles, mail order, newsstand edition

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19
Jun

Gardening Magazines As Inspiration

   Posted by: admin   in Magazines

Whether you’ve just caught the gardening bug or have taught generations of fellow gardeners how to plow and harvest, you probably have scoped out the dozens of gardening magazines on the rack more than once. Established gardeners have their favorites delivered to their street or virtual mailbox.

If you’re new to this satisfying hobby, you may have no idea of the breadth and wealth of information just waiting for your perusal. From weekend planting projects to detailed instructions on grafting cactuses, gardening magazines offer information that covers everything you want to know to make your garden grow. Some offer general knowledge, others emphasize how-to topics while yet another focuses on organic gardening. So how do you go about choosing a few magazines that will best help you achieve your goals?

What first sparked your interest in gardening? Maybe your neighbor’s bountiful vegetable garden, neatly laid out in terraced redwood boxes got you thinking. Perhaps you just purchased a new home that definitely needs some landscaping to replace the plain dirt and cement vista seen from the living room and street. If you have a single goal you’d be happy to complete this spring or summer, what would it be?

Let’s say you’d be delighted to grow a few of your favorite vegetables and herbs, but your space is confined to a small patio or balcony. There are gardening magazines that specialize in small gardens. To do a through investigation before actual planting, you should check out the organically oriented gardening magazines. Hydroponic growing may also suit your situation.

What you need to do is browse the selection of topics available both on the newsstand and online. Many gardening magazines appear in print and on the web. Gardening websites have archives of past issues and feature articles, free for your reading pleasure and education.

Now your problem is to focus - unless you have time to burn, try to focus on the information you need this year. Experienced gardeners advise the beginner to start small and build on that accomplishment. This approach makes it far more likely you’ll complete your first project with enjoyment and satisfaction. Next year you’ll be prepared to tackle more.

Once you’ve checked out a sizable sample of available gardening magazines, you’ll find several that appeal to your sense of style and that contain relevant content. However, once you’ve got one project successfully under your gardener’s belt, your list of favorites may grow exponentially. There’s no telling what may happen to your magazine budget!

Tags: fellow gardeners, gardening magazines, organic gardening, vegetable garden

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11
Jun

People Magazine Since 1974

   Posted by: admin   in Magazines

Magazines come and go but some favorites stay the course. People Magazine has been on the newsstands since 1974, entertaining regular readers with celebrity articles and human interest features. The weekly publication often gets the scoop on celebrity news and exclusive photographs. News of weddings, pregnancies and other news in the celebrity world appear alongside details of TV shows and movies. The 2006 circulation figures were 3.75 million copies sold.

The magazine likes to print popularity polls and give awards. One of the most influential lists is the 100 Most Beautiful People. The first winner of this was actress, Michelle Pfeiffer. Another People Magazine poll is the Hottest Hollywood Bachelors. The 2007 list includes movie stars, Matthew McConaughey and Jake Gyllenhaal. It also has Chris Evans, who plays the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four films and Adrian Grenier from the TV hit, Entourage. The largely female readership also likes the Sexiest Man Alive list. Winners of this one have included George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Pierce Brosnan and Johnny Depp.

People Stylewatch is a spin off publication that originated in 2002. It has ten editions a year and the focus is on celebrity fashion, beauty tips and style. In 1996, a Spanish language version came out, called People EN Espanol. There is also an Australian version called Who. Because of the great interest in weddings, a special issue called Amazing Real Life Weddings was published with stories of proposals and wedding days and articles about the cake, photographs and honeymoon destinations.

The web site edition of the magazine concentrates on celebrity news and features. The featured stars are usually from the world of movies and music with some sports stars too. All the People Magazine favorite sections are there. There is a scandal page and articles on the stars’ court appearances. Health scares; operations and relationship breakups are also reported.

There are quizzes too, to test how much readers really know about the life of a hot celebrity and a weekly crossword puzzle. Another regular feature is about property buying and house moving of the stars. Video extracts from TV shows and films are also available. The Teen People section focuses on celebrities of particular interest to the teenage readers.

Magazines have to stay on top of technology these days and People Magazine offers readers, different ways of receiving the latest news and photos. These can be transmitted via a podcast, email or cell phone text message. The delivery may have changed but the magazine’s fans remain loyal.

Tags: actress michelle pfeiffer, magazine poll, people magazine

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