History: Magazines were the last of the print media to become popular, but they became the first national medium. They also became the first of the specialized media, following an evolutionary pattern that all media tend to follow.

Industry: Today’s magazine publishing industry is built primarily around consumer and trade magazines. The players in this industry consist mostly of those in editorial, advertising, and circulation departments.

Controversy: To become successful, magazines resort to techniques that lead to a number of controversies. In this chapter we will look at the impact of the industry’s photographic images, along with truth and accuracy, editorial independence, and marketing schemes.