MEMORANDUM SUBJECT:The magazine, “Field and Stream”, is oriented towards the sportspersonAs you requested here is my summary of “Field and Stream” magazine, a profile of the target audience and how the magazine has been tailored to that audience. The magazine, “Field and Stream”, is oriented towards the hunter, fisherman or sportsperson, male or female, 32 years of age with moderate experience and income. The reader hunts in the fall and fishes in the summer, possibly ice fishing in winter. Their Professional career earns a wage of $35,000 to $45,000 per year.
The theme is game preservation of wildlife and respect for natural resources. The ads focus on equipment needed to comfortably enjoy a trip in the outdoors. Pages 37, 38, and 39 displays advertisements of Kawasaki all terrain vehicles. Pages 82 to 86 advertise resorts where hunting and fishing is available.
Page 68 has an outdoor equipment review called “2001 Gearing Up”, that identifies and highlights specific gear. Photographs are brilliant and vibrant depicting outdoor scenes. Some have sportsmen actively involved in their sport. Many articles deal with deer, antlers and the cleaning or maintence of guns (“Dirty Shotguns”).
Page 63 relates to the current deer hunting season. The publisher wants to sell his magazine to his targeted audience, the sports person. By appealing to them with the following articles: Hunting deer, geese hunting (page 53), turkey hunting (page 73) and fishing. Hunting in the fall.
Fishing in the summer and winter ice fishing, (page 54):Karen BishopFebruary 23, 2001Page 2By targeting an audience throughout the seasons to increase sales of the magazine. By informing the reader about skills and techniques that may improve his ability to take game (page 16, “Casting Accuracy”). By informing the reader on new issues such as on (Pages 14, and 42) where he identifies problems of wild meat contamination (E. coli and Creutz field, Jakab disease).
By identifying and associating the magazine with professionals (page 6, Editors page): The magazine associates itself with professionals in the field of hunting and fishing like the opinion of master angler Jim Anson. By using specific content materials, the reader will be able to pick out articles that suite his particular area of interest. To eliminate or reduce information conveyed to the reader by non-professionals. To present information by noted professionals that will improve the readers skills. Page 48 identifies a feature by Bill Heavy on how to improve your spin fishing techniques.
Another article on page 16, “Casting Accuracy”, by John Merwin, identifies importance of accuracy. Readers identify changes and update their hobby. He can quickly identify articles that pertain to his areas of interest. The articles are short and to the point, no longer than two pages in length. The reader and editor’s purpose intersect on page 49 (“Closing the Mouse Holes”, by Bill Heavey). Both the reader and editor agree on the following points:A professional fisherman, as identified in the first paragraph, is a professional guide with fifteen International Game Fish Association world records and the only angler to ever win the five-month, 50,000-entry, metropolitan south Florida fishing tournament four times.
It gives specific information on the skills he uses to achieve his high standing professional fishing career. Karen BishopFebruary 23, 2001Page 3Thomas McIntyre’s article, “Shed hunter” page 27, identifies Dan King as a Arizona hunting guide with over fifteen years experience. It establishes Dan King as a professional then goes on to identify how he uses the natural shedding of deer antlers in spring to determine the size of the animal for hunting in the fall. The writer and editor both agree on the article content to fulfill both of their purposes. Together they decide what the reader will want and need to know.
Both of them have decided on articles that focus on improving skills, as illustrated on page 27, “Shed hunter”, by Thomas McIntyre. This was previously discussed under the reader’s purpose. Other articles advise and caution sportsmen on some of the new dangers they now face. Page 42, “Deadly Venison”, Identifies the increase of a disease called Creutz field-Jakob (CJD) or mad cow disease and how it would spread by ingestion of wild game meat. Both the editor and writer believe that this article on
