Slightly more than half(54%),almost the same percentage as in 1979(53%),cited providing an alternative viewpoint to that of the local newspaper as an important function of city magazines.However,only 9%cited it as the most important function as compared with 41%who cited providing information about living in the city and lifestyles as most important.Magazines in the middle circulation group were somewhat more likely to cite this as an important role;60%did as compared with 50%for each of the other two groups.
The percentage citing the promotion of local business,including tourism,as an important function dropped from 57%in 1979 to 39%in 1992.Another 7%in 1993 did alter the question to indicate that they provide information about business and tourism but do not necessarily promote it.
More than a fourth in both 1993 and 1979 cited various other functions as important.These functions ranged from investigative journalism,to reenforcing community image and pride,to providing profiles on leading personalities in the community.One editor suggested as an important function providing a survival guide to help readers deal with the impact of recent Republican and Democratic administrations.
More than three-fourths of the editors said they“strongly agree”(27%)or“agree”(52%)with the statement that city magazines are written and edited primarily for persons who are well-educated,upper middle class,and most often white.Only 9%said they“disagree”(5%)or“strongly disagree”(4%)with that statement;7%said they did not know,and 5%did not answer.Most of the respondents to the earlier survey agreed with this assertion.
Moreover,more than half of the editors said they“strongly agree”(11%)or“agree”(46%)with the statement that most city magazines can best be described as attractive urban service and entertainment guides.Only a fourth said they“disagree”(23%)or“strongly disagree”(2%)with the statement;13%said they did not know,and 5%did not answer.The smaller and larger circulation groups were more likely to agree to this than the middle group;68%in the smaller group and 56%in the larger one did while only 44%of those in the middle group did.
Content.City magazines use a wide variety of editorial materials.The most popular are personality sketches and letters to the editor,each used by 91%of the magazines.More than three-fourths use feature pictures,an editor's column,lists of activities and interviews as such,and almost three-fourths use narrative articles.Smaller percentages use news stories,news pictures,issue-oriented pictures,how-to articles,cartoons,columns,and special features such as arts criticism,food and restaurant information,media coverage,home features,health information,fiction and poetry.
Not surprisingly,entertainment,food,and lifestyles,all used by at least five-sixths of the magazines,headed the list of topics that the editors said they deal with regularly.Other frequent topics include business,tourism-travel,history,health,sports,politics,home and gardening,gossip,arts,books,architecture,environment,education,dining,and social problems.
Editors were divided as to whether most city magazines do a good job of assisting readers with concerns such as self-improvement,education,housing,traffic,and taxes.Two-fifths“strongly agree”(4%)or“agree”(36%)with the assertion;but 25%“disagree”and 32%said they did not know;3%did not answer the question.
Coverage of Issues.More than four-fifths of the magazines said they often(59%)or occasionally(23%)provide information on local issues such as government,education,and crime.Only 9%said they never do;7%said they seldom do so,and 2%did not answer the question.Magazines in the two larger circulation groups are more likely to provide this information“often”while those in the smaller group are more likely to provide it“occasionally.”It breaks down this way:small circulation group,36%often and 45%occasionally;medium group,69%often and 14%occasionally,and larger group,69%often and 19%occasionally.Three-fifths of the respondents in 1979 said they provided in-depth articles on local issues“often”and 26%said they did so occasionally.
Business,cited by 93%,and education,cited by 91%,headed the list of areas in which the magazines said they had provided information on issues in the past year.Crime,cited by 79%;the environment,75%;and social programs,68%,were close behind.Others mentioned included transportation,government reform,planning/zoning,human rights,traffic,politics,hunger,area changes,children,sexual harassment,taxes,arts and finance.
Almost half(45%)of the magazines indicated that they devote between 10%and 20%of their editorial content to reporting and commenting on public affairs.Only 16%indicated that they devote as much as half of their editorial content to those areas.Almost as many,13%,said they devote less than 10%of their space to issues.Almost two-thirds(63%)of the larger magazines and 55%of the smaller ones can be grouped in the 10%to 20%range.The medium-sized magazines are more spread out with the largest cluster being 33%between 30%and 40%of their content devoted to public affairs;28%of them fall in the 10%to 20%range.
