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A German publication, Erbauliche
Monaths-Unterredungen that made its appearance once a month in
the period 1663 to 1668 is one of the earliest known magazines.
Soon, other countries like France, England, Italy and America had
joined the fray and a multitude of magazines began to make an
appearance. Some of these were not only informative but also
entertaining. There appeared literary magazines too. The Tatler
and The Spectator are early examples of such literary
publications.
The Tatler and Spectator
The Tatler was a periodical launched in London by Sir Richard
Steele, an essayist. The periodical was launched in April 1709 and
was a tri-weekly. Soon after, Joseph Addison joined Steele and
together they launched another periodical The Spectator, two
months after The Tatler ceased publication in January 1711.
Gentleman's magazine
Published from 1731 to 1914, The Gentleman's Magazine was one
of Britain's first magazines. It was launched by a printer Edward
Cave from England. Originally, it was a compilation of features and
articles from other books and periodicals and pamphlets. It was
awhile before the magazine began to publish original contributions.
One of the celebrity contributors to The Gentleman's Magazine
was Samuel Johnson.
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America's first
The American Magazine (1741) was the first magazine to be
published in America. Launched in Philadelphia, the magazine
lived a very short life, winding up three months after launch.
The Colombian and The American Museum followed
shortly after. Godey's Lady's Book was the first women's
magazine to be published in America, while The Dial was among
the first influential intellectual magazines to be launched.
Popular magazines such as Life, Time and Sports
Illustrated were founded by Henry Luce, who was one of the
leading publishers in the twentieth century.
French magazines
In 1672, France saw the circulation of Mercure de France
a magazine meant for light reading. In the early 19th Century,
illustrated magazines and children's magazines made their
appearance. |
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Illustrations caught on and by the end
of the century they became a necessary part in almost all
magazines. Technical improvements made in the late 19th and
early 20th century in the form of better paper, printing
technology, color printing and so on rendered it possible for
magazines to achieve high standards of technical perfection. It
added to the visual appeal. The concept of advertising in print
made its appearance and proved to be a good source of income for
magazines.
Types of magazines
There are two basic types of magazines - trade or specialized
magazines and consumer magazines. Trade magazines are usually
mailed to readers, whereas consumer magazines are available on
the stands. Consumer magazines cater to different groups. There
are magazines exclusively targeted for children and there are
other theme magazines such as fashion, cinema, hobby, health and
fitness, sports, women's magazines, men's magazines, political
magazines, news magazines and so on.
Despite the competition from television and other media,
magazines continue to hold a special place in homes and hearts.
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