Magazine Genre Codes and Conventions: Part 5

  • Target audience: 
    • Popular Science's readership is much older than I thought. 40% of readers are over 50 years old and 55% are 25 - 54 years old. The median reader age is surprisingly 45 years old, much older than I expected in my last blog post. 
    • Readers tend to be more educated, with 72% having attended college and making a median $74,361 household income. 
It turns out my expectations were wrong. Popular Science is successful in getting both young and old people who are interested in science and engineering. This was perhaps because of my assumptions of what older people like in magazines and writing.
  • Mission:
    • To present the future with clarity, insight, and relevance.
    • Futurism and an optimistic hope for the best out of new developments.
Popular Science's approach towards making articles allows it to excite people with predictions and possibilities. This excitement gets readers and subscribers.
  • History:
    • Founded in May, 1872 to spread scientific knowledge to educated people. At this time, it was really only for professionals and scholars.
    • Became an outlet for the writings of the likes of Charles Darwin and Thomas Edison.
    • Merged with a magazine called Electrician and Mechanic starting in 1914 and over the course of two years.
    • As time passed, the publication transformed into a much easier to read magazine that was heavy on illustrations. It became for "home craftsmen" and "hobbyists" rather than just serious professionals. When the magazine started doing this, circulation increased drastically.
    • From the 60's - 90's, the magazine re-marketed itself as "The What's New Magazine", becoming the futurist magazine we know today.
Popular Science's history shows that it has various times had to reinvent and re-brand itself according to changing public interests and financial needs. I find this important to keep in mind because the success of magazine will likely hinge on whether my subject material is relevant enough and my design is unique enough to compete with other magazines. 

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