City Magazines Response

The judging we had to do in class on Tuesday for the City and Regional Magazine Association was really interesting. The judging experience on its own was interesting; only having 10 minutes to judge several magazines to the point of being able to eliminate several based solely on those few minutes was a bit of a whirlwind. But more interestingly than that, I had to really think about what makes a good city magazine. 

I'm accustomed to critiquing national consumer or shelter magazines like we've done in past classes, but never before did I have to think about a city magazine. A publication that must appeal to tourists and natives, and to those considering moving there, for that matter. A magazine of that kind must be general enough to include visitors unfamiliar with the area. Clue them in on the sights and sounds of the city -- the culture that makes it so great; however, it must include some more narrow focuses and a variety of features to keep the locals intrigued. Some of those we've seen did a great job of this by including various departments that featured hot spots, need-to-know info such as school districts or housing, plus some harder-hitting news stories. I also liked those that included a bit of fashion, kind of promoting the shopping must-haves of the area.  

All in all, I definitely thought it was a learning experience, both with the judging and the inside look at city magazines. It makes me a little more critical of our local magazines and those from my hometown.