Times Magazine Audience Analysis

The Intended Audience of Times Magazine

Have you ever picked up a magazine and then put it down because you didn’t think it would interest you? All magazines have intended audiences. Times magazine is specifically directed towards rich middle aged men with families (a wife and kids) and college degrees, who have an interest in the world around them and run their own businesses. The intended audience of this magazine is supported by the authors of the articles, the ads in the magazines, the subjects of the articles in the magazines, and the color schemes of the magazines along with their formats.

The majority of the articles in Times magazine are written by men. In the May 27, 2013 issue, there were fifteen articles written by men compared to seven articles written by women. In the July 7 and July 14, 2014 issue, there were nine articles written by men compared to eight articles written by women. In the December 23, 2013 issue, there were twelve articles written by men compared to seven articles written by women.

The back cover of this

magazine always has one large ad on the back that features an expensive product. The May 27, 2013 issue of Times featured the iPhone 5 while the July 7 and July 14, 2014 issue featured the Das Auto 2012 Passat. The December 23, 2013 issue featured the Longines Conquest Classic, which is a luxury brand of watches. The ads found inside of the magazine also feature expensive products. Products and services commonly featured inside this magazine are retirement, banks and investment firms, new and upcoming cars, medications, and electronics made by Samsung and Apple.
Alcohol, specifically Chivas Regal, is also advertised in the December 2013 issue of this magazine.

Chivas Regal is a blended 80 proof Scotch whisky that is aged for 25 years. The same issue also advertises Louis Vuitton handbags and Forevermark diamonds. The Neat organizing system is also featured in the May 2013 issue of Times magazine. Neat is an organizing system designed specifically for use in small businesses. The June 2014 issue of this magazine also advertises the HP Officejet Pro, which is an HP printer designed specifically for use in businesses. HP claims that this printer saves up to 50% less ink per page when compared to others with a cost of greater than $500. Also advertised in the June 2014 issue of Times magazine are tobacco products, specifically Natural American Spirit cigarettes. Natural American Spirit cigarettes are made with organic tobacco and free of all additives found in conventional

cigarettes.
There are also products that show up in multiple issues of this magazine. The Bose Wave SoundTouch music system is featured in both the December 2013 and July 2014 issues of Time magazine. The Bose sound system is a top of the line sound system that plays CDs and Internet radio, such as Pandora and iHeart Radio. The Delta faucet with Touch2O technology is advertised in both the December 2013 issue of Time magazine along with its July issue. This faucet turns the water on and off whenever you touch its spout or handle.
Frequently discussed topics in Times magazine are health, popular culture and society, the United States, the world, movies, books, music, art, technology, and business. For example, the cover story of the May 27, 2013 issue of Times features Angelina Jolie. The article discussed the medical reasons behind Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy and also discussed the newest forms of genetic testing at the time. Featured stories in the same magazine discussed the impacts of YouTube on the war in Syria, the scandal that revealed that the IRS was specifically targeting conservative groups, and the reasons why second wives were critical in the movement that pressured states to get rid of permanent alimony. Lastly, the May issue of Times also featured an exclusive interview with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who played the two lead characters in a popular adult romance movie, Before Midnight, which takes place in Greece and was released that year.
In contrast, the front cover of the July 7 and July 14, 2014, issue of Time magazine featured a picture of a house in the future. The corresponding article was a 39 page report on all of the technological advancements that were part of the futuristic home. These included hurricane resistant walls, a sprinkler that tracks the weather, a garden that filters the air you breathe, a front door that can sense when a person is walking up to it, energy saving blinds, and many more (Frizell, 46-47). Featured stories in this magazine also discussed the Hobby Lobby religious freedom case; the Supreme Court ruling in June of 2014 to limit cell-phone searches by authorities; the dangers and drawbacks of teen use of the trending app at the time, Ask.fm; and an evaluation of the claims of weight-loss supplements.
The intended audience of Times magazine is also supported by the color scheme of the magazines and their formats. Most of the magazine covers utilize the same three colors: red, black, and white and have one large picture on the front with a red and white border around it. The table of contents in every issue of the magazine has three categories: briefing, commentary, and the culture. Each of these sections is separated by red text. The titles of the featured stories appear in the middle of the page in bigger black text with gray text beneath them. Above the featured stories is a color photograph with a caption, usually from an outside source. Lastly, all of the article titles on the table of contents have the page number listed before them on the same line. The consistent formatting of the table of contents allows the magazine’s readers to find the page numbers of the specific articles in various categories that interest them quickly.
In conclusion, the intended audience of Times magazine is demonstrated by the authors of the articles, which are primarily male; the expensive products and services featured in the ads; the subjects of the articles; the simple color scheme of the covers, which usually includes one large picture in color with a red and white border and black text; and the consistent layout of the table of contents, which always features the same three categories: briefing, commentary, and culture. The intended audience of this magazine is rich middle aged men with families (a wife and kids) and college degrees, who have an interest in the world around them and run their own businesses.