Audience Engagement Digital Publishing
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PPA report highlights magazine sector’s value to UK economy: The Media Roundup

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PPA report highlights magazine sector’s value to UK economy

The PPA has published a new report highlighting the scale and reach of the consumer magazine and business media sector. The Sector Insight Report puts the economic value of magazine media at £3.74 billion in 2019, directly supporting 55,000 jobs.

Part of the UK’s creative industries, magazine publishing brought an estimated £519 million into the UK economy through exports of 73 million magazines. Despite digital growth, print still has a significant presence, with an estimated 700 million consumer products and over 50 million B2B products being distributed in 2019. Distribution relies on 45,000 retailers across the UK, supporting an estimated 6,400 jobs in that supply chain.

Of course this was all pre-COVID, and 2020 revenues are down 10%. But renewed focus on audience relationships has left the industry optimistic for a recovery in 2021. Fingers crossed.

Substack buys in community management expertise

Substack has just bought a community management firm and you could be forgiven for asking ‘Why?’ But Adam Tinworth thinks it’s a smart move by a firm that will live or die by how engaged its subscribers stay. He says, “One great way to retain subscribers is make them feel part of a community… intellect might get people to start paying, but the emotional connections keep them shelling out.”

How Silicon Valley gets written about

Some incredibly Trumpian energy exposed in this NY Magazine article focusing on how Silicon Valley feels picked on by “woke” journalists “who can’t code.” It’s tempting to laugh about billionaire tech bros complaining they’re being unfairly treated by the press. But given the power they wield, journalists need to keep calling out their questionable behaviours.

Clubhouse has a blocking problem

This is an interesting look at the Gordian knot of moderation on social media platforms. The traditional one-to-one block used by most networks just doesn’t work within the room structure used by Clubhouse. Letting room organisers mute people has largely worked, but has also created the opportunity for ‘tactical silencing’ of minorities on the platform.

This content originally appeared in The Media Roundup, a daily newsletter from Media Voices. Subscribe here: