Ideal Home editor responds

Thanks to Susan Rose, editor of Ideal Home for responding in her blog 'Sue's News' to an issue I raised last month about magazines being published early. I was perusing the January 2007 issue of the magazine and thought it interesting that, because most consumer mags publish a month earlier than their cover publication date, in order to respond to what readers want to see in December, their January issue is filled with great ideas for Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations.

Sue explains why magazines do it, and it's understandable: readers want to know about the latest, greatest ideas and trends as early as possible. And of course, each mag wants to give it to us before other publications do! While this wouldn't usually be a problem most months, when it gets to seasonal festivities with specific 'celebrate by' dates, editors have a tough time.

Naturally you want to read about the festive season in December, but does that mean you're getting the latest info by reading it in a magazine with a January publication date? Wouldn't the trends for January (being out early in December), mean you're getting a heads-up on what's new, rather than what's now? Certainly a tricky one...

Comments

[Jenny]

As a marketing ploy, I guess I can understand how it started. Although it does seem superficial.

[Ed]

I'm not an Ideal Home subscriber but thought I'd offer up some items for discussion.

I am however a subscriber to PCFormat. They stick a scantily clad girl on the front. It doesn't detract or factor in my choice of the magazine at all but they say it sells more copies.

Another thing PCFormat do though that gets around the magazine date/seasonal content issue is have a 13 issue cycle, with a separate Christmas special. Perhaps this would make sense for Ideal Home and not confuse us lesser beings. ;-)

Consider the following scenario:
PCFormat reviews a copy of a game. I know they get copies of games to review early, but this magazine takes pride in only reviewing fully released games (not pre-release/potentially incomplete). So you take a look at a game that was released in August. The review was written in August. Due to scheduling it gets sent to the printer and distributed in September, claiming to be Octobers edition! Does that sound like the magazine is cutting edge and ahead of it’s peers or behind the times?

[marco]

what ever happened to Susan Rose?