Science Forums 2

[Tormod]

1. How many times a week do you look at magazines?
More than once per day on average (I read them while commuting to work).

2. Do you have a favorite kind magazine?
Science mags, music mags, computer mags

3. Has this industry's overall quality improved or declined in this last decade?
The magazine industry? Definitely. Not sure I understand what you are asking for here. The quality of content and presentation of the overall concept in mags have both greatly improved. The variety of mags available is also a good thing.

4. What would you suggest to be improved in magazines in general?
There are so many kinds of magazine that I don't think a general tip would be meaningful. One thing I'd like to see is the option to subscribe to magazine without advertisements, for example kids' magazines. As for myself, I read mags partly to check out ads and see what's happening. Another problem is that foreign magazines tend to be very expensive - in Norway we pay 3-4 times the cost of a magazine which originates in England.

5. Are you aware of subliminal messaging? What is your view on the usage?
I am aware of it. My main issue is that advertisements create idealistic views of what people should do, look like, and spend their money on, which is fine also problematic towards certain user groups (like children).

6. Do you think that everyone cal fall under the spell of subliminal messages?
Yes.

7. Do you think subliminal messaging helps the sale of the magazine or the products advertised in the magazine?
Most likely.

8. How prominent are subliminal messages to you?
Quite a bit. In some mags it is hard to see the content for the ads - simply because advertisers seem to pay for "positioning" (like ads that happen to promote a product that was awarded Editor's Choice 2 pages back). I also tend to have more favorable feelings towards products with good ads, even though I know this is folly.