Print Media Analysis

Sarah Cook

Professor Ted Schwalbe

COMM 102

18 September 2015

Print Media Analysis

The purpose of this assignment is to analyze two magazines that are dated at least fifty years apart. In comparing these magazines, various design and composition elements were considered. These included price, layout, content, editorial approach, advertising and layout. After comparing each of these attributes from the consecutively dated magazines, certain trends in editorial design and communication can be established. The September 17th, 1965 issue of Time magazine was selected as well as the September 7th issue from 2015. This historic magazine is analyzed for significant variance between its published content from fifty years ago and contemporary standards.

Analyzing the cover image of these two issues shows the evolution that TIME magazine has had over the past half century. Both covers feature iconic and notable individuals, consistent with the theme maintained by this publication. While the 1965 cover displays a painted image of politicians, the 2015 cover displays a realistic image of Stephen Colbert. Even though the styles of photography are different, both maintain the conceptual link of politically or otherwise noteworthy figures being presented on the cover (86: 2-4; 186:2-5).

The price of the magazines was compared and significant differences were noted. This is primarily due to the effects of inflation and underlying trends within the publication industry. The TIME issue from 1965 cost just thirty-five cents (86: 3).This is a fraction of the cost of the magazine today and represents a dramatic shift in the readership of this print publication. Comparing prices in this way does not comprehensively assess the magazine because of the differences in subscription price between print and online media. The overall readership and access to TIME magazine has shifted dramatically over the past fifty years and is conducive to fluctuations based on increased online membership.

The layouts of the previous and contemporary issues of this magazine were unique and reflected unique components. The first few pages of the 2015 issue depict eye-catching photographs and advertisements (186: 5-10). The rest of the publication presents political and news articles that reflect unique themes with images and short articles interspersed. This is dramatically different from the 1965 edition (86:7).

 While advertisements pervade the earlier publications as well, there is an immediate focus on leading articles. Text continues throughout most of the pages and the use of testimonials is prevalent in advertising. This layout is slightly different from the contemporary issue because of the structure and focus on short yet continuous blurbs throughout the publication. The reader’s attention is guided in this way throughout the issue, while the more recent edition allows for quick viewing of specific articles. Another important element that is tangential to layout choices, is the availability of content in the virtual format. Since recent issues often create online versions of the content contained in the magazine, the stylistic choices of online media represent an entirely new perspective on the integral content. While there is no equivalent comparison from previous generations, this element of technological advancement does suggest a higher level of interaction with news stories and content in contemporary times than may have been possible in the 1960s (86:14).

Content was variegated amongst a broader range of topics in the older magazine compared to the newer edition. In the 1965 issue there is a focus on politics, societal issues and relevant financial topics of the time period. This is shown through the content that emphasizes culture and community centric pieces that may have catered towards the upper and middle working class.  This is a theme that is seen even in the contemporary issues of TIME magazine (86: 20). However, the 2015 issue selected had a greater emphasis on the political climate within the United States than other topics. Advertisement content was consistently diverse as in previous issues, however the relevance to world events in the 2015 issue illustrates a shift towards urgent or more pressing news stories. Other content differences were noticed as well, such as the relatively limited use of page breaks and transitions in earlier issues compared to the contemporary one. This is a stylistic element that influences the way a reader scans through each page, but does not necessarily affect the content itself.  

Editorial design trends were the most noticeable in this analysis compared to other differences.  One notable similarity between the two issues can be seen in the editorial nature of comics and other anecdotal content throughout the magazine. Comics and editorial comments are featured throughout both issues and mark a consistency this publication maintains. Certain articles uniquely feature titles that are captivating and direct from the 1965 edition of TIME magazine. This is especially notable because of the use of space on the first page of articles, often featuring no background image and a larger portion of the article immediately. This is an editorial and stylistic difference that can be seen to have changed over the past fifty years. Hardly any space is left empty in this way within the September 2015 issue (186: 20). The forward tone of titles and comical content is subtler with fewer blank spaces and greater application of visual material. Perhaps this demonstrates a change in the editorial nature of TIME throughout its recent development.