Wot made smash hits a succesful magazine and online website to its younger target audience how did it appeal?

Just did a dissertation on radio chart shows at uni, I know some stuff which may help.





First, there were fewer mediums available when the magazine came out in 1977. There was no internet, digital TV etc. So the main sources of pop music were radio, the chart show on Radio 1 and Top of the Pops.





"Manufactured pop" acts played on their image as well as music to become successful. Bands and artists would be interviewed by the mag to promote their records, while the magazine sold copies as teenagers were interested in what they had to say (even it was stupid things like what was their favourite colour or something along those lines).





In the 90s Top of The Pops brought out their own magazine which segemented the magazine market. That plus more people getting cable and Sky meant teenagers could access pop music through MTV, The Box etc., hence no need for a magazine for info. The magazine eventually stopped last year I think.





Still Emap the company that owns Smash Hits were quick to get into digital TV and radio - hell The Box is owned by Emap, as well as Smash Hits TV, their website, Q TV, Kerrang etc so they know how to transfer a magazine to TV and DAB radio.





The website is an online version of the magazine, an evolution of the original mag you could say for today's teenagers. From a financial perspective the Smash Hits brand can continue to make money through sponsorship on the site and ticket sales made on it.





So it was cultural successful back-in-the-day because of less competition and its continue now because the Smash Hits brand has developed successfully into the internet which young people access.





Mind the media is continuing to segment so it may not be around in the next 10 years or so. Watch this space. Hope that answers your question.

Wot made smash hits a succesful magazine and online website to its younger target audience how did it appeal?
Smash Hits [not a magazine I am familiar with] became successful because it answered questions about sex which teen-girls wanted to know about.





Or, so I was told anyway.