What is missing from the academic literature regarding the advertising-editorial relationship is the consumer's voice.With the exception of DeLorme and Reid(1999),studies thus far have focused on the attitudes and opinions of media and advertising professionals.Among the editorial staffs,one underlying assumption is that media will lose credibility with readers/viewers if advertisers have undue influence over media content(Cameron and Haley,1992;Cunningham and Haley,2000).However,this contention has not been explored among readers/consumers.Since credibility is ascribed by readers/consumers,it is necessary to talk with readers/consumers to see how they make sense of advertising practices that influence the content of media the readers use.This study seeks to fill the gap in the literature by studying how women readers of women's magazines make sense of two advertising practices that influence the editorial content of women's magazines:complementary editorial and advertiser censorship.
Method
The long interview was the data collection method chosen for this study.The long interview gives researchers a way to see the“logical scaffolding”with which people construct their understanding of phenomenon(McCracken,1988).Since the research question asked how women make sense of the advertising practices,the long interview allows the researchers the flexibility to explore the rationale behind the thoughts and feelings of our participants.Individual interviews were chosen over the more time-efficient focus groups because magazine consumption is an individual rather than a group activity.
For this study,adult women who read at least one female-targeted magazine were defined as the population of study.Rather than enumerating how prevalently are particular beliefs held,the goal of this study was to uncover the variety and structure of how women make sense of the advertising practices as they relate to magazines they read.Women readers were recruited past the point where information redundancy was attained.Redundancy refers to the point at which additional interviews are producing no new insights into the phenomenon(Taylor,1994).Also,in an attempt to uncover the variety of constructions held by women,a wide age range was recruited.
Given the goal of covering the“logical scaffolding”or structure of beliefs,it was important to employ a semi-structured interview as part of the study's emergent design.The semi-structured interview allowed the researchers to introduce discussion topics,but gave the interviewer the flexibility to move with the participants'responses,probing when appropriate and allowing participants to define topics for discussion as well(McCracken,1988.See appendix for the basic discussion guide).To ensure trustworthiness of the study,interviews were tape recorded and transcribed word-for-word.
Data were analyzed using analytic induction and comparative analysis to look for recurring themes(Strauss and Corbin,1990;Huberman and Miles,1994).Analytic induction and comparative analysis involves reading the data line-by-line for themes and categories,developing a working schema from examination of initial cases,then modifying and refining it based on subsequent cases.Negative instances that do not fit the initial constructs are sought to expand,adapt or restrict the original construction.Emphasis is on category construction rather than enumeration.The findings presented will be supported by exemplary quotes from participants that summarize the particular theme of discussion.
Findings
The findings reported in this study are based on interviews with 47 adult women between the ages of 18 and 59.While the majority of the women live in the Southeastern U.S.,the geographic span of interviewees reaches as far as the Northeastern U.S.and Europe.Despite the wide age and geographic range,information redundancy became apparent within very few interviews.When redundancy was noticed,the researchers recruited women of different age and background from those already recruited.However,the common culture among all the women was reading women's magazines.This common culture may explain the redundancy across the diverse geographic locations and ages of participants in this study.
Understandings of Complementary Editorial
The women in this study were generally accepting of complementary editorial.However,this acceptance is not without limits.
·It's Just Business
“I can understand why an advertiser would want it,”responded one woman when asked what she thought of advertisers getting editorial mentions in magazines in which they advertise.She continued,“They(advertisers)pay a lot of money I would think so of course they would like to have as much exposure as possible in the magazine.”
The above quote summed up a very strong theme among the women magazine readers.That is,they felt that magazines offering editorial mentions to advertisers was just part of doing business.“The magazines need the advertisers and the advertisers need the magazines,so I guess I can understand why both sides would benefit,”commented another.
·It's More Information
Beyond understanding the business reasons for complementary editorial,the women participants were asked if and how the practice affected them and their evaluation of the magazines they read.On the whole,women were receptive to complementary editorial in that it provided information.One participant summed up the general consensus as follows:
I read the magazines like Cosmo for tips anyway.It's just more information.I know I have to be the ultimate judge no matter who is recommending something.
