BBC Music Magazine – First Issue Report
The latest title to appear from the BBC Enterprises’ stable, BBC Music Magazine, launches today with a print run of 180,000.
The first issue of the magazine, which is billed as ‘the complete monthly guide to classical music’, has been timed to coincide with the current proms season. The launch also comes just 2 weeks before Classic FM begins broadcasting, a fact BBC Music Magazine has chosen to ignore.
The magazine claims to be unique by covering all aspects of classical music in equal depth rather than concentrating on reviews. It aims to attract seasoned classical music fans as well as novices to the genre.
An initial circulation of 80,000 is hoped for with sales increasing as subscriptions are taken up. Existing classical music magazines all have circulations below this figure. Gramophone’s latest ABC stands at 72,487 and Classic CD has an ABC of 61,150. CD Review does not have an audited figure but claims sales of 40,600.
BBC Music Magazine professes that its excellent design will ensure the magazine is always readable and attractive. The 124-page first issue is certainly pleasing to the eye with its full colour glossy pages emitting an air of professionalism that is also found in other BBC titles. The pages are well laid out and on the whole uncluttered with plenty of attractive full colour pictures.
The front cover of the magazine carries the extra enticement of a mounted CD, this is to be a permanent fixture inviting readers to build up a collection of BBC Classics.
The editorial comprises a mix of regular sections and features. Counterpoint is a news section examining people and events from the world of classical music, while Shopfront covers items from musical jewellery to CD storage systems. Features include an article on the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Existing classical titles tend to attract predominantly male readers but BBC Music Magazine is clearly targetting women as well, with articles on Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter leaning towards female readers.
The regular section Composer of the Month is devoted to Tchaikovsky in the first issue. Unfortunately the rather unoriginal title for the section does not do justice to the in-depth study contained within it.
Aside from the features the magazine reviews over 100 CDs as well as musical instruments, books and videos.
Great emphasis is placed on Radio 3, suggesting that the magazine is being used as a tool to promote a station which is about to be faced with a direct rival for the first time.
Approximately 30% of the magazine is taken up with display advertising. Those taking either full pages or double page spreads include EMI, Tower Records, HMV, Virgin and JVC. A number of pages were also given over to advertising Radio 3, there were no non- music related advertisers.
The magazine’s media pack states that the title will launch with the full support of the BBC, capitalising on the BBC’s output of classical music and links with Radio 3. This statement may now be regretted following the MMC report which urges restrictions against the BBC using airtime to promote its magazines.
Rival publishers suggest that much of the success of the BBC titles is due to this promotion. If this is the case BBC Music Magazine has 3 months to capitalise on it before the MMC recommendations are implemented.