Petersen’s HuntingInterMedia Outdoors, Inc.
ISSN 0146-4671
Reading Level/Interest Level
Content SummaryPetersen’s Hunting targets anyone passionate about hunting, mostly boys and men ages 8 to 80 - whether they are avid bow hunters, rifle, shotgun, or pellet hunter, whether they hunt white-tailed deer, coyote, turkey, duck, pheasant, partridge, jack rabbits, boar, moose, bear or any other animal allowed. Their hunting adventures cover the entire country, offering some exclusive access to certain types of hunting or animals.
The magazine is published by InterMedia Outdoors, which offers a wide variety of outdoor publications on fishing, hunting, and shooting plus the Sportsman Channel on television. It has 80 pages and offers equipment reviews, hunting techniques, monthly spotlights on new gear, and unique articles like the one on whether the grizzly bears of Alaska should be hunted or how to manage your meat cache for the winter. I especially like the Christmas gift guide that offers two pages each of appropriate gifts for men, women and children & teen hunters.
The articles are well written, and appear to be written by hunters who can write rather than writers who can research hunting. It has noticeably short articles averaging about a page and a half in length that are fairly easy to read, with only one article extended to four full pages.
Critical Evaluation
Petersen’s Hunting has more advertisements than expected: 2 double-page ads, 20 full-page ads, and 12 lower half of the page ads out of 80 pages. While nearly all are appropriate for hunters or to attract readers to their television channel, several ads are targeting men to make purchases for their women (ie. full-page love pendant ad, and my personal favorite: a lab-created diamondAura replacement ring for one of the millions of real diamonds out there that might be “romantically defective”). This seems to play on the guilt of passionate hunters, and it feels unethical.
There is also a noticeable near-absence of the female hunter, with only two women in the entire magazine: one young girl with her father in a hunting photo and a full-page ad with woman at the wheel of a Bobcat utility vehicle. On the plus side, there were zero scantily clad women photos, so the magazine really is family friendly.
Why Included
Of our 30 magazine subscriptions, this one magazine has a higher readership rate than any other. Approximately 75% of our students and 25% of our staff are avid hunters, with a nearly even split of guys and girls though it is primarily guys who read Petersen’s Hunting magazine. A few deer hunting seasons ago, when the school bus stopped suddenly for an eight-point buck, our girl soccer team on the bus screamed in unison, “It’s a shooter!”
Vegetarian TimesCruz Bay Publishing, Inc.
ISSN 0164-8497http://www.vegetariantimes.com
Content Summary
Vegetarian Times is published by Cruz Bay Publishing nine times a year (three double issues). Its founder, Paul Obis began the magazine as a pamphlet when he wasn’t able to get an article published. Readership has grown over the years from around a thousand copies to a quarter of a million issues by the 1990’s. Cruz Bay Publishing, a subsidiary of Active Interest Media, purchased the magazine in 2003 and re-launched it in 2004 with a complete overhaul, which included the addition of 20 pages of advertising per issue and a stronger appeal to health conscious readers, besides vegetarians.
The magazine focuses exclusively on healthy lifestyles, and offers eco-friendly recipes, wellness information, cooking ideas, tips and techniques. Each issue provides important information about food, health, and nutrition news - plus, environmentally friendly products, healthy exercise routines, and eco-friendly travel decisions. Of the 84 pages in the October 2011 issue, 24 have at least one recipe on it, and nearly a dozen contain a single full-page photo of something yummy and healthy to eat.
Not all Vegetarian Times readers follow a vegetarian diet, only about half of their readership is vegetarian. It is not age specific so anyone interested in living healthy will find valuable information in this magazine. About five percent of our teens are vegetarians and thirty percent are health-conscious and simply enjoy the magazine for its crisp layouts, unique articles, and new menu ideas such as wicked sweets easy appetizers, and 30-minute meals with fewer than a dozen common ingredients.
Critical EvaluationVegetarian Times offers insights into eating green and living well, but with the overhaul came more of a commercialized look and feel. For avid magazine readers, this format is what they expect. For a magazine touting eco-friendly, and while the products seem more herbal, natural or homeopathic, there still seems to be a relatively high number of ads as compared to quality articles and information – and the full-page ad for Cognizin is a major concern for me as it might imply to readers that it is safe, healthy, and natural even though the FDA has not yet approved it.
Awards
Why Included
Dirt Rider
ISSN 0735-4355
Reading Level/Interest Level
Content Summary
Dirt Rider targets anyone passionate about off-road motorcycling and racing, of any age or ability, mostly boys and men ages 12 to 60. Published by Source Interlink Media Publications, the magazine is 114 pages in length, and offers feature articles about popular and prominent riders in the sport, a quality buyer’s guide, dirt bike tests, technical how-to articles, and loads of amazing action double-page photos with limited text boxes, and fillers like Match the Patch (butt patch to prominent rider) to the extended foot peg guide at nine pages - the longest article in the magazine.
The articles in Dirt Rider are well written, short and are full of quotes of notables to substantiate the concept being shared. The terminology is heavy, yet appropriate for the equipment, parts, brands, etc. A few of the pages have amazingly high quality in the air dirt bike riders racing or completing a jump – and all of the photos are perfectly in focus, implying it is easy to photograph this high speed sport.
Critical Evaluation
Dirt Rider has more advertisements than any other magazine I’ve read: 10 double-page ads, 30 full-page ads, and three lower half of the page ads out of 114 pages. While nearly all ad pages are very appropriate and even helpful to Dirt Rider readers, there is one ad with scantily clad women trying to use ramps and lifts to transport a dirt bike (it does NOT take three Maine girls to load one dirt bike into a pickup truck). While there were some amazing action photos, there were none of female riders. Not sure which is worse, not having females represented or the way they are in the December/January issue: two females' butts in the Match the Patch contest (easy to guess), one of Barbie racer, and one of a SPEED channel motocross announcer answering a dating question.
Why Included
Seventeen
ISSN 0037-301x
Reading Level/Interest Level
Content Summary
Seventeen Magazine has been targeted toward teen girls ages 12-21 since it was first published in 1944. Originating with Triangle Publications, it has changed hands three more times, with Hearst Publications most recently acquiring it in 2003.
Since its inception, Seventeen has been the go-to magazine for many teen girls across America to stay up-to-date with fashions, trends and fads, beauty, health, life, and weekends, along with fillers such as letters from readers, and horoscopes.
One of the most popular elements of the magazine is the love life section and all of its quizzes, how-to’s, and what it means, referred to by many teen girls. For some, it is the epitome of what love or relationships are supposed to be and they live by what is suggested. For instance, if while cuddling he does this, it means this. I’ve even had a few students who rate their relationships similarly and break up with a guy when his score dips too low.
Seventeen has shaped the lives of so many teen girls, and has the potential to inspire change. With the feel-good holiday time, the Dec/Jan double issue has an article about the do-good volunteer work of the Seventeen staff. Later in the magazine, there is a double-page spread plea by Justin Bieber with unnecessarily huge font, little text, and little direct suggestions, but more like a hint to do something great during winter break – besides stalk him on Tumblr. The following page list a few things teens can do that won’t take much time, but will bring harmony to the planet.
Understanding their influence over millions, the publishers have begun to make efforts to create positive changes in the lives of their readers like with their collaboration with ABC Family to make the film Cyberbully to expose issues surrounding cyberbullying, to try and eliminate this form of bullying.
Critical Evaluation
Seventeen is much the same as it was thirty years ago, representative of what teen girls want to read, and learn about, outside of their home or classroom. It is heavy on fashion, fads, and beauty because America is heavy on presenting a disproportionate view of the female body. As a country of consumerism and ownership, it is understandable that it sells so quickly. Seventeen is much like an extension of what Mattel did in the making of Barbie doll more than sixty years ago, targeting the same little girl only grown up a bit. At our high school, issues are used in tenth grade English classes to help all students recognize the different forms of propaganda, the stereotypes and commercialization it represents, and the dangers of how unrealistic it is to expect to have similar body shapes and sizes.
Why Included
For good and bad, we are on the second and third generation of Seventeen readers. Maine may be the tail end of the country, always last to benefit from any new trend or fad – but when it comes to Seventeen our girls could no go without this iconic coming-of-age magazine.
Content Summary
Petersen’s Hunting targets anyone passionate about hunting, mostly boys and men ages 8 to 80 - whether they are avid bow hunters, rifle, shotgun, or pellet hunter, whether they hunt white-tailed deer, coyote, turkey, duck, pheasant, partridge, jack rabbits, boar, moose, bear or any other animal allowed. Their hunting adventures cover the entire country, offering some exclusive access to certain types of hunting or animals. Petersen’s Hunting has more advertisements than expected: 2 double-page ads, 20 full-page ads, and 12 lower half of the page ads out of 80 pages. While nearly all are appropriate for hunters or to attract readers to their television channel, several ads are targeting men to make purchases for their women (ie. full-page love pendant ad, and my personal favorite: a lab-created diamondAura replacement ring for one of the millions of real diamonds out there that might be “romantically defective”). This seems to play on the guilt of passionate hunters, and it feels unethical.
Of our 30 magazine subscriptions, this one magazine has a higher readership rate than any other. Approximately 75% of our students and 25% of our staff are avid hunters, with a nearly even split of guys and girls though it is primarily guys who read Petersen’s Hunting magazine. A few deer hunting seasons ago, when the school bus stopped suddenly for an eight-point buck, our girl soccer team on the bus screamed in unison, “It’s a shooter!”
ISSN 0164-8497
Content Summary
Vegetarian Times is published by Cruz Bay Publishing nine times a year (three double issues). Its founder, Paul Obis began the magazine as a pamphlet when he wasn’t able to get an article published. Readership has grown over the years from around a thousand copies to a quarter of a million issues by the 1990’s. Cruz Bay Publishing, a subsidiary of Active Interest Media, purchased the magazine in 2003 and re-launched it in 2004 with a complete overhaul, which included the addition of 20 pages of advertising per issue and a stronger appeal to health conscious readers, besides vegetarians.
Awards
Awards
Maggie Award finalist: Lifestyles & Alternative Lifestyles/Consumer category, 2009
ISSN 0735-4355
Content Summary
Dirt Rider targets anyone passionate about off-road motorcycling and racing, of any age or ability, mostly boys and men ages 12 to 60. Published by Source Interlink Media Publications, the magazine is 114 pages in length, and offers feature articles about popular and prominent riders in the sport, a quality buyer’s guide, dirt bike tests, technical how-to articles, and loads of amazing action double-page photos with limited text boxes, and fillers like Match the Patch (butt patch to prominent rider) to the extended foot peg guide at nine pages - the longest article in the magazine.
Dirt Rider has more advertisements than any other magazine I’ve read: 10 double-page ads, 30 full-page ads, and three lower half of the page ads out of 114 pages. While nearly all ad pages are very appropriate and even helpful to Dirt Rider readers, there is one ad with scantily clad women trying to use ramps and lifts to transport a dirt bike (it does NOT take three Maine girls to load one dirt bike into a pickup truck). While there were some amazing action photos, there were none of female riders. Not sure which is worse, not having females represented or the way they are in the December/January issue: two females' butts in the Match the Patch contest (easy to guess), one of Barbie racer, and one of a SPEED channel motocross announcer answering a dating question.
ISSN 0037-301x
Content Summary
Seventeen Magazine has been targeted toward teen girls ages 12-21 since it was first published in 1944. Originating with Triangle Publications, it has changed hands three more times, with Hearst Publications most recently acquiring it in 2003.
Critical Evaluation
Seventeen is much the same as it was thirty years ago, representative of what teen girls want to read, and learn about, outside of their home or classroom. It is heavy on fashion, fads, and beauty because America is heavy on presenting a disproportionate view of the female body. As a country of consumerism and ownership, it is understandable that it sells so quickly. Seventeen is much like an extension of what Mattel did in the making of Barbie doll more than sixty years ago, targeting the same little girl only grown up a bit. At our high school, issues are used in tenth grade English classes to help all students recognize the different forms of propaganda, the stereotypes and commercialization it represents, and the dangers of how unrealistic it is to expect to have similar body shapes and sizes.
