Comparing Bauer Media to IPC.

Both Bauer Media and IPC are massive companies when it comes to magazines, radio and TV. However, one has progressed further then the other.

Bauer Media is a multi-platform UK based media group which have two separate groups. Those being Magazines and Radio. The magazine side started with Angling Times in 1953. They then branched into the radio side in the 1990s setting up London’s dance radio station Kiss FM which is now known as Kiss 100. They also have other radio stations such as Radio City, Metro group and Magic 105.4. in 1994 Bauer bought a small magazine called for him magazine which is now known as FHM one of the leading men’s magazines in the world. They then moved onto TV in 1996 with their music channel called The Box, which is now grown into a joint channel with Channel 4. They then launched Britain’s first weekly gossip magazine Closer in 2002 and shortly followed by Grazia in 2005. Today they have over 80 different brand names cover a wide range of different genres.

Bauer Media now rivals with IPC another leading company in Magazines and Radio.

IPC consume 26 million UK adults which is almost two thirds of Britain’s population. They have 3 divisions IPC connect ( Their mass market women’s division with Now, Women and TV times) , IPC Inspire (Their men’s portfolio with magazines such as NME, Nuts and Mousebreaker) and IPC Southbank (Their upmarket women’s division with magazines such as Marie Claire, InStyle and Woman&Home) IPC Launched in 1853 with The Field which became the largest newspaper in Europe. The launched Woman’s Weekly in 1911. Women shortly followed 5 years later and came in colour in 1937. NME was then launched in 1952. In 1988 they launched Marie Claire. They then launched a range of TV Mags throughout the 1990s. All the magazines they have launched are still going strong today.

As a Media student making a magazine if i to chose a company to sell my magazine it would have to be IPC as they have such a wide range of knowledge about producing magazines and they seem to go worldwide. However, Bauer Media have more knowledge of Music magazines and music channels and as a student making a Music magazine it may be a better bet to go with someone like Bauer Media.