NME goes free — the changing face of music journalism.
By Ben Perreau
By definition in Los Angeles, I woke up late to the news that music magazine (and my old employer), NME is changing this morning. It’s going free and changing remit to cover a broader range of topics, which will naturally ramp its circulation up (from 15,000 to 300,000). I know it’s something that Editor Mike Williams and the team have been working on for some time. This is big news in magazine world.
Why?
NME is the most ‘old world’ title to make this change. It first published in 1952. Even Time Out, which launched in 1968, is a ‘utility’ magazine — mostly known for being informed about the city in which you buy it. Owned by Time Inc., NME’s change could be the tipping point for a swathe of magazines to become more accessible and make the change to ‘free’. And there’s only room for so many on the streets. Moreover, going free is - in itself - somewhat rare in the music business — it’s the sign of a business prepared to respond to market conditions. Along with the revenue, you can say goodbye to the subscription department and the circulation team and drive greater efficiencies in the advertising, editorial and production team. So you get an organisational focus and efficiency.
But besides shedding its old skin, I’m sure some people are wondering what this will mean for NME’s editorial — there is a plan to broaden its remit. This is where the challenge lies. If the editorial voice of the title has to be watered down, it’s going to be hard to maintain traction in the busy media minds of people. NME needs to have a point, it’s voice was always what differentiated it — you didn’t always agree, but it didn’t mind volunteering it. The team will need to maintain an accessible tone without losing its teeth.
Possibly the most interesting thing Williams mentions, is a hint at ‘new digital products’. Newsstand and subscription sales of NME might be over, but Time Inc, and NME have a business that deals in subscriptions, of magazines right now — but they understand all the market dynamics of Monthly Recurring Revenue. If NME are planning some moves to bolster the bottom line, thats where my money would be.
All of this hides a real business move. A more efficient organisational structure, a broader appeal for the media title — I have a feeling that the team behind NME might have a few more headlines to write yet (look I resisted the ‘more records to spin / tunes to play, ok?). We’ll find out more on September 18th.
