At Meredith Corporation, publisher of American favorites such as Better
Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle and Parents magazines, service
journalism will continue to be our promise and our passion. However, how that
journalism is practiced will continue to evolve.Unlike newspapers and news magazines, our journalists have always been more in tune with the business side of their publications. For example, it is not unusual for an editor to go on a sales call with an ad seller, or to meet with advertisers on our turf. In fact, it is something we encourage and promote, and have a unit that focuses on arranging these sessions. However, we make it very clear that these meetings will not influence our editorial coverage in any shape or form. Rather, they are designed to offer advertisers access to the category expertise possessed by our journalists, as well as insights into market trends and consumer preferences.
Additionally, thanks to the digital era, content is becoming more important than ever. At Meredith, much of the content we produce is timeless and very adaptable to different media platforms. Our editors, writers and designers now find themselves thinking beyond how a story will be presented in the magazine alone. They must consider how it can be adapted for uses in our other media platforms including our web sites, television stations, special interest publications and books. A whole other set of journalists will then take that content and look for ways to adapt it for uses with our custom publishing and promotion areas.
Success in the future, at least in the service magazine business, will hinge on combining solid service journalism with increased awareness of how the content you produce -- and the service you provide -- can benefit readers and advertisers alike.
Art Slusark
Vice President
Corporate Communications and Government Relations
Meredith Corporation