Niche Media and Shows

            Back in the 90’s televisions shows were not watched religiously as it is today.  Shows such as Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones were not watched in the same way as shows such as Full House, Friends and Family Matters.  Some may argue that shows such as Full House, Friends and Family Matters cannot be compared within the same category as Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones because of the different genres of each shows.  But what shows from the 90s can be compared within the same genre as Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones?  The closest shows I can think of are Buffy the Vampire Slayer and possibly Sex in the City but that is even a stretch.  Could it be that the genre category for current popular shows were non-existent then?  To turn the first question around, what current popular shows can be compared to with Full House, Friends and Family Matters.

            Shows such as Full House, Friends and Family Matters could be watched within a family setting.  It could be watch on and off without having to pay too much attention to it.  There is not a strong plot or strong line.  These shows were often even put on as background noise.  Current popular shows that fit into the universal show category are Big Bang Theory and Modern Family.  The list of universal shows that can be watched with the family is a lot shorter than when it was in the 90s. I can easily name five shows from the 90’s off the top of my head but I have trouble naming three shows that are currently popular now that can be lightly watched within the family setting.

            Although Big Bang Theory and Modern Family are popular, they are not nearly as popular as the more intense shows such as Breaking Bad, Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.  The more intense shows with an on-going plot have a niche audience and a specific demographic.  For example, according to Civic Science, the people who watch Game of Thrones tend to be highly educated Millennia males living in the Northeast part of the Unite States.  36% of the viewers report an income of $100k or higher.  These viewers also enjoy watching dramas and reading science fiction and fantasy books (Civic Science).  Although there is a specific demographic for Game of Thrones it is still highly popular with 18.4 million Americans watching (Thomas).  The same goes for Walking Dead.  There is a very specific target audience in mine when filming and producing Walking Dead but it is one of the most watched shows. According to The Guardian, the return of Walking Dead drew in 17 million viewers during its season five premiere in the United States. It even broke the record for the most-watched television drama in American cable history. The Walking Dead was so popular that it also broke illegal downloading records with 1.3 million unique IP addresses worldwide downloading the first episode of season five (Sweney).

            Game of Thrones and Walking Dead both have very specific audiences as oppose to shows such as Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Friends, Full House and Family Matter. Game of Thrones and Walking Dead are considered niche media where it has a specific place in media with a specific audience.  Universal shows made without a targeted audience in mind are not making the cut and receiving many viewers.  How is it possible that a show with smaller targeted audience is attracting more viewer than a show that is made for everyone and therefor has a larger targeted audience?

            It is a interesting thing that is happening with niche media where people are looking to shows for a more meaningful experience.  Audiences want interesting shows that they can tweet about and connect with other people who are just as interested in the show’s plots as they are.  Prior to the excessiveness of television, technology and media people read intriguing, thought provoking novels and stories about adventures and struggles in far away lands.  As humans and social creatures we love stories. We satisfy the need for fascinating stories that will engulf us into another world the way books use to do in a different form and that being in the form of shows.

            The lighthearted shows with minor laughs are a thing of the past because we want to be captivated into another world. There might be one or two shows such as the Big Bang Theory and Modern Family for people to casually watch but even that is being replaced by reality television shows that are designed with a specific audience in mind. There are hundreds of books and different genres written for different interests, so why should one shows appeal and capture the full attention of all audiences.

Works Cited

Beaumont-Thomas, Ben. “Game of Thrones becomes most popular HBO show ever.” The Guardian.                6 Jun. 2014. Guardian News and Media Limited., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015

de Moraes, Lisa, and David Lieberman. "Cable TV Networks Wrap 2014 Putting Best Spin On Ominous Year – Update." Deadline: Hollywood. 31 Dec. 2014. Penske Business Media, LLC., 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.

Hibberd, James. "'Game of Thrones' finale ratings up from last year (but don't break record)." Entertainment Weekly. 16 June 2014. Entertainment Weekly Inc., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

Kissell, Rick. "ESPN No. 1 in Cable Ratings for 2014." Variety. 2 Jan. 2015. VarietyMedia, LLC., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

Singer, Adam. “Mass Media Vs. Niche Media.” The Future Buzz. 20 Sep. 2009. Digital Marketing And Social Media PR., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

Sweney, Mark. “Walking Dead season five US premiere sets rating record.” The Guardian. 14 Oct. 2014. Guardian News and Media Limited., 2015. Web. 22 Feb.2015.

St. John, Allen. “The Most Watched Hour Ever: What ‘The Walking Dead’ Season Finale Will Break A Rating Record.” Forbes. 30 Mar. 2015. Forbe., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

“Who Will ‘Turn’ Up for AMC’s New Series, and Will it Be a View of Game of   Thrones.” Civic Science. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

Vorel, Jim. “The 90 Best TV Shows of the 1990s.” Paste. 25 Aug. 2015. Paste Media Group., 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.  

The Rise And Fall Of Lifestyle Magazines As They Transition From Print To Digital

Is print dead? Over the past decade, a reoccurring theme has been about the print industry and its rapid decline. Due to advancements in technology, there seems to be a negative influence on the publishing industry. The rapid decline in print revenues has made these publications seem outdated. For print newspapers this may be true. However, for print magazines, this is very far off. According to Magazine Media Readers are Social, 93% of all their respondents have read or looked into a print magazine in the last 60 days.

Lifestyle magazines in particular have been popular for several years now and are absolutely thriving. There are tons of lifestyle magazines both for men and women that entail everything such as health, fitness, fashion, beauty, decorating and much more. According to the 2014 Magazine Media Factbook, magazines are more trusted, inspiring and influential than any other type of media. The magazine industry has a very committed following of readers which leads to engagement of magazines on all media platforms. Physical print copies may be slowing down but they are not going anywhere yet, at least not anytime soon.

The Future of Tablet Magazines Youtube Video

With advancements in technology, doors have opened for the magazine industry. Many lifestyle magazines have recently launched online versions of their publications including new and different features. Online versions of these publications allow for a better experience since they include features that the print magazines cannot. The best feature of online publications includes videos, such as “how-to’s”. People love reading about new ideas and ways of doing things but nothings better than watching a tutorial.

According to Magazine Media Readers and Smartphones, “The smartphone is shaping up to be the next frontier for delivering magazine media content.” 83% of respondents accessed or downloaded a magazine branded. From those people who have read digital magazines, 60% have actually visited the magazines website as a result. Since technology has improved, there is now a huge opportunity for magazines to transition from print to digital on many different platforms. Barbara Rowlands said in her article The Fall and Rise Of Magazines From Print To Digital, “The print product is to linger over, but the iPad edition and the app, with its galleries and high-definition videos, its exclusive offers and interactivity, is where the magazines strength now lies.” With the expansion of online and tablet editions, magazines are growing and doing better than ever.

A new business model for many magazines is to combine their subscription packages to give people more option. According to an article titled People Mag Prepares New Subscription Model in Ad week, the print industry is facing financial pressure so publishers are now looking to broaden the definition of subscribers to include other benefits. For example, Cosmopolitan magazine now has the option to bundle together a subscription of both their tablet and print editions. Over half of the respondents from Magazine Media Readers and Smartphones admitted that they would be willing to pay a fixed amount for total access to a magazines content across any device or platform, including print copies.

Social media is a great platform for magazines to get their publications out there. With the most recent release of Snapchat Discover, users are now able to see short features from numerous editorial teams, one being Cosmopolitan. According to the editors of Cosmopolitan, they will now upload a daily Discover edition with five different articles lasting only 24 hours. This addition to their publication has upped them tremendously adding in a larger reach in audience. In a Forbes article about Snapchat’s new feature, Snapchat Discover is the perfect platform to deliver creative work with each edition including tons of new features everyday. People don’t always have time to pick up the latest edition of Cosmo so this short new way of viewing is perfect.

I ask myself all the time if there is a future left for print magazines in a world that’s entirely digitalized. Barbara Rowlands said in her article The Fall and Rise Of Magazines From Print To Digital, “Declining sales does not mean the end for glossies. More platforms mean better ways of connecting people with their passions.” Sales may be declining in print but there is a lot more opportunity with new technological developments. People identify closely with magazines that they read for many different reasons. There are lifestyle magazines for everyone with different needs. Many people love the idea of holding a physical hard copy since it allows them to do whatever they want with it. Whether its ripping out pages and making collages or just placing it in a waiting room for occupying time, magazines are timeless. A lot can be done with a hard copy of a magazine that cannot be done with an online edition. Print magazines may die out eventually, but there are new possibilities of a tablet and online viewing that will change the way we view magazines forever.

Works Cited

Chowdhry, Amit. "Snapchat's New 'Discover' Feature Has Content From ESPN, CNN, Food Network And Others." Forbes. 28 Jan. 2015. Web.

Moses, Lucia. "People Mag Prepares New Subscription Model." AdWeek. 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.

O'Malley, Gavin. "Snapchat Valuation Pegged At $19B, Media Brands Invest In Service." Media Post. 18 Feb. 2015. Web.

Rowlands, Barbara. "The Fall and Rise of Magazines from Print to Digital." The Guardian. 7 Mar. 2013. Web.

"2014 Magazine Media Factbook." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 31 Jan. 2015. Web. 

"The Magazine Industry, Non-news Is Good New." The Economist. 9 June 2012. Web.

"Magazine Media Readers & Smartphones." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.

"Magazine Media Readers Are Social." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.

The Growth of Social Media and Its Lifestyle

Caitlyn Maio

We all know that Facebook and Twitter have been at the top of social media for a while.  In fact the majority of us probably have our own account on both platforms, but now a new set of social media platforms are on the rise and have become a lifestyle for most of us.  Today, Instagram is growing with users and has become one of the most popular social media platforms to date.  Instagram grew in “150 million monthly active users in half the time that it took Twitter and in two years less than Facebook” (D’Onfro 1).  Whether it is going out with friends, cooking a meal, or being on vacation, Instagram users like to express and show their daily lifestyle through pictures on this social media platform.  Photo engagement has expanded quickly with Instagram as people upload, comment, and like photos.  Its photo engagement is “40 times higher than that of Twitter, and 15 times higher than that of Facebook” (Overmyer 1).  This photo engagement has not only boosted up the amount of active users, but it has also boosted up brand engagement as well.  With “1,000 comments per second and 8,500 likes per second,” I don’t blame brands for wanting to become engaged with this social media platform (D’Onfro 1).  Today, Instagram is made up of about 16 billion photos currently, bringing it to the top.  In this case, sharing visual content seems to be playing a huge part in social media users’ lives.  “Visual content makes a powerful impact” (Overmyer 1).

Even though Instagram is growing with its visual content, so is Vine.  This social media platform is growing in numbers with its creation of short videos by users.  “It was the fastest growing app of 2013, expanding its audience by an estimated 403 percent” (O’Neill 1).  Creating videos on Vine has become a lifestyle for most people.  In fact, people have become popular on Vine gaining over 1,000 followers by uploading videos each week.  Although Instagram has recently introduced a video option on their app too now, Vine still continues to grow.  The app’s growth may have slowed down, but it has added “27 million members just since Instagram introduced its video feature” (O’Neill 1). 

Other social media platforms, such as Tumblr and Snapchat have grown significantly.  Tumblr is surprisingly the fastest-growing social media platform to date, and Snapchat has become the fastest-growing app.  “Tumblr’s active user base in the last six months grew by 120%” (Lunden 1).  With the rise of smartphones, Snapchat has certainly risen to the top as the most popular app.  Users can connect with family and friends by sending no more than 10 second pictures and videos to show what they are doing daily.  What a lot of people like about this is that the picture or video goes away in seconds.  Like Instagram, Snapchat is starting to be seen as a potential place for companies to boost engagement with audiences.  With Snapchat’s new Discover platform, companies such as ESPN, Food Network, CNN, People Magazine, and National Geographic can reach out to users.  While people go on Snapchat to share what they are doing on their Snapchat stories, they can take a quick glance at what these companies are up to and get the latest news.  This helps companies reach out to more people by getting them to watch and read more based on what was shown on Snapchat. On top of its Discover platform, people can now privately message each other and video chat.  The “high engagement level among users has become the most notable thing about the service” (Waters 1).  I think Snapchat not only engages users, it also provides a different sense of fun by giving users options.  They can take videos and photos, message people, and video chat, but the best part is that this all disappears in seconds.  Here is a video that talks more about the growth of Snapchat:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-18/two-charts-that-show-how-fast-snapchat-is-growing

Overall, I think social media is changing society’s lifestyles in a variety of ways.  Social media users live their daily lives through Instagram, Vine, Tumblr, and Snapchat.  Even companies now are starting to use some of these platforms to grow their business and advertise.  As a frequent Instagram and Vine user, I even see celebrities going beyond Twitter and sharing photos and videos on these social media platforms.  Even Pinterest has become popular, especially among women, allowing users to share recipes, new clothing styles, home décor, and other lifestyle interests.  Our society is starting to become social media reliant, and I think it will continue to grow as the years go on.

Works Cited

D'Onfro, Jillian. "This Chart Shows How Instagram Reached 150 Million Users In Half

The Time Of Twitter." Business Insider. N.p., 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

Lunden, Ingrid. "Tumblr Overtakes Instagram As Fastest-Growing Social Platform,

Snapchat Is The Fastest-Growing App." TechCrunch. N.p., 25 Nov. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

O'Neill, Mark. "Vine Continues Growth Despite Challenge From Instagram." Small

Business Trends. N.p., 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

Overmyer, Krystal. "Instagram Demonstrates Power of Visual Content to Boost

Engagement." The Content Standard by Skyword FastGrowing Instagram

Demonstrates Power of Visual Content to Boost Brand Engagement Comments. N.p., 23 Aug. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. <http://www.skyword.com/contentstandard/news/fast-growing-instagram-demonstrates-power-of-visual-content-to-boost-brand-engagement/>.

Waters, Richard. "Loyal Users Key to Snapchat and Twitter Fortunes."

FT.com (2014): n. pag. ProQuest. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. <http://search.proquest.com.libraryproxy.quinnipiac.edu/docview/1558343691?pq-origsite=summon>.