A magazine is a periodical of general interest. A periodical is a publication that appears periodically, that is, at regular intervals. Most of them are published once a month, but some can be weekly, biweekly, biweekly, or quarterly. Originally, publishers only printed them, but today they also exist in electronic form, i.e. online.
Magazines, with paper covers, contain stories, pictures, articles, and advertisements.
Collins Dictionary has the following definitions of the term:
“1. A magazine is a paperback publication that appears regularly, usually weekly or monthly, and features articles, stories, photographs, and advertisements.
“2. On radio or television, a magazine or magazine program is a program that includes many articles about different topics, people, and events. 3. In automatic pistols, the magazine is the part that holds the ammunition.
Another means
On television or radio, the term can refer to a program that includes several elements about different events, people, or topics. We also call them magazine programs.
The word may also refer to the part of a gun that contains the bullets. When all the bullets are used up, the shooter must reload the magazine or attach a loaded one.
We sometimes refer to buildings that store explosives, bullets, and guns as magazines.
This article focuses on the word when it refers to a printed or online publication.
Etymology Of Magazine
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and the development of their meanings and structures.
In the 1580s, the term first appeared in the English language. At the time, it meant “warehouse, a place to store goods, especially military ammunition”. It comes from the Middle French word shop, which means “warehouse, deposit, store”. The Italian word magazzino and the Arabic makhazin (plural of makhzan) mean “warehouse”.
Today we rarely use the term with these meanings. In 1868, the word meant “reloading chamber in a repeating rifle”.
It was not until 1731 that we called the magazines “periodicals containing miscellaneous articles”.
distribution
Publishers distribute magazines by mail, bookstores, newsstands, and other vendors. Today they are also available online. Since the turn of this century, online readership has grown. However, circulation of printed newspapers has decreased significantly.
Hundreds of publishers around the world that did not adapt to the advent of the Internet have disappeared.
first magazine
Erbauliche Monaths Unterredungen (Monthly Uplifting Discussion), a German literary and philosophical publication, is the earliest example of a magazine. It was launched in Germany in 1663.
According to Wikipedia:
“The Gentleman’s Magazine, first published in 1731 in London, was the first general magazine. Edward Cave, who edited Gentleman’s Magazine under the pseudonym “Sylvanus Urban”, was the first to use the term “magazine”, which is similar to a military warehouse.
“Founded by Herbert Ingram in 1842, The Illustrated London News was the first illustrated magazine.”
World’s most popular magazines
USA
- AARP The Magazine. Circulation: 23,144,225.
- AARP Bulletin. Circulation: 22,700,945.
- Costco Connection. Circulation: 12,851,336.
- Better Homes and Gardens. Circulation: 7,645,075.
- Game Informer. Circulation: 6,353,075.
UK
- The National Trust Magazine. Circulation: 2,043,876.
- Asda Magazine. Circulation: 1,983,433.
- Tesco Magazine. Circulation: 1,935,680.
- TV Choice. Circulation: 1,374,813.
- Morrisons Magazine. Circulation: 1,333,787.
Canada
- What’s Cooking. Circulation: 1,523,454.
- Reader’s Digest. Circulation: 597,229.
- Chatelaine. Circulation: 550,613.
- Canadian Living. Circulation: 511,817.
- Maclean’s. Circulation: 321,095.
Australia
- The Australian Women’s Weekly. Circulation: 470,331.
- Better Homes And Gardens. Circulation: 388,110.
- Woman’s Day. Circulation: 350,495.
- New Idea. Circulation: 293,031.
- That’s Life! Circulation: 218,161.
