Commentary

Real Media Riffs - Wednesday, May 21, 2003

Men Are From Mars: You know the rest. But why are men's magazine titles up 3.5 percent in readership, according to MRI, when women's titles have plunged almost eight percent? It can't be clutter, because both categories are equally cluttered. It can't be a lack of differentiation because the new laddie mags that have spiced the men's category have tried to play the same formula very closely. My take on it is that the laddie mags have added a new level of excitement and competition to the category, whether you like their approach or not. Maxim and FHM have appealed to and energized the younger audience, and it looks from the MRI data that it might have energized the old school titles like Playboy, Penthouse, Esquire and GQ as well. I think the women's category will have to find a way of re-energizing itself as well. I don't know exactly where that energy will come from. But I'll bet it will be from a more civil and maybe sexy spiritual source than the bombshell approach that worked in the men's category.

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Last Man Standing: The FCC's only active dissenting voice about media consolidation rules said some scary things in this week's edition of Inside Radio. Jonathan Adelstein said there's "a tsunami of mergers" ahead following the June 2 vote. He believes "when this wave recedes, we'll find far fewer media companies left standing."

At The Buzzer: Maybe it's just me, but when you've made your upfront presentation aren't you supposed to keep the shows you're selling intact? I guess ABC and David Kelley have another "Practice" in mind. They canned the entire cast of the show during the week when advertisers are supposed to be buying into it.

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