Newspapers test health title;

Folio: the Magazine for Magazine Management

Newspapers test health title; cooperative magazine format explored as a way to increase national ads in newspapers. (Good Health Magazine)

Publication:
Folio: the Magazine for Magazine Management
Publish date:
February 1, 1989
Author:
Jaben, Jan


Newspapers test health title

New York City--Five major metropolitan newspapers will be combining forces this fall to publish a new consumer health magazine--a test to determine if newspapers can increase the amount of national advertising they carry. After the second trial issue in April 1990, the results will be reported to the newspaper industry. What happens next is a distant guess, but the project poses the threat of new competition not only to the growing number of health magazines, but to any number of vertical magazine fields that newspapers may decide to venture into if Good Health Magazine is successful.

The collaboration between The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and Washington Post to produce two joint issues of Good Health Magazine is a product of the American Newspaper Publishers Association's Future to Advertising Committee, according to New York Times spokesman William Adler. "There's been a drop off in national advertising in newspapers," he notes. "[The committee] wanted to see if coordinating on formats can lead to an increase in national advertising."

In fact, The New York Times has published Good Health Magazine every spring and fall since September 1986 as a supplement to its Sunday magazine. The Times intends to continue publishing the magazine as it has been doing. Although the five editions, which will be first published October 8, will have the same logo and 10-1/4" by 12-1/2" format, each will have its own editorial content and cover art.

The power in the arrangement is its packaging. National advertisers will have the option of buying space in any combination of the five magazines. If they buy space in all five, advertisers receive a 10 percent discount, says Adler. "It'll be one phone call, one transaction, which makes it easier for insertion," he explains. "In addition, advertisers can reserve premium positions in all five." Each magazine will accept local advertising as well.

Combined circulation will be about six million, with an adult readership of 14 million, Adler adds.

A calculated choice

The choice of health as the topic was a calculated decision. "Many national [health] advertisers are looking for a wide national audience and now use TV," says Adler. The health venture, he adds, will test whether newspapers can be more competitive with other media.

Indeed, advertising agency media planners agree that health is a "hot topic." John Gray, senior vice president and director of media planning for J. Walter Thompson USA, notes that Sunday is a prime day to introduce a magazine dealing with health--"it's a family day and health is a family-related matter."

But Gray questions the viability of the Sunday insert concept. "The problem with all Sunday magazines is that there is no evidence of 'wantedness' on the part of the reader. No one knows the extent of the readership of those supplements." He adds that it is worth a try, but "it may not be an easy sell."

The markets themselves are also questionable. Los Angeles, New York and Chicago are excellent markets for packaged goods advertising, according to one source, who says Boston and Washington are much less attractive.

A stronger vote of confidence comes from David Orlow, president of Periodical Studies Service in New York. "The key is the health field," he maintains. "There's an indigenous advertising base to support it. There are many packaged goods advertisers who want a low-cost reach vehicle like newspaper distribution," he adds.

Orlow points to the success of American Health and Hippocrates as indicators that the "field is healthy."

Indeed, American Health publisher Owen Lipstein's reaction to Good Health Magazine is "amusement." Seven years ago when he started the title, says Lipstein, "no one believed there was a market for it. The fact that newspapers like The New York Times are spending big bucks on it further legitimizes the category," Lipstein maintains.

"They are a start-up, we are the leader in the pack," Lipstein adds. "We're an established franchise that has a dominant market share. And, we expect changes in the next year. We are a moving target."

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