Hearst UK is a leading media company that publishes 19 magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Good Housekeeping. Their office space was definitely the most awe-inspiring out of our media visits thus far, with offices and “ideation areas” throughout multiple floors of an office building, and an off-site building that contained a test kitchen and testing areas for various cooking and cleaning products, and electronic devices.
We got to see the library that contained copies of almost every issue of almost every publication, including “The Queen,” which was first published in 1861. I have an affinity for physical books, so to be in the presence of such precious reading material was a big deal for me.
A panel discussion was held with top editors from Digital Spy, Women’s Health, Elle, and Cosmo. The topic was ‘engaging content,’ creating content that an audience wants to consume and thoroughly enjoys from beginning to end. The goals of my journalistic pursuits are more or less to discuss relevant topics that are authentic to what will be dubbed my “brand.” That is successful media production.
I took away a few good tidbits from the day’s media visit. I must understand that engagement is not always consistent, and just because I may one day find myself with what seems to be a constant draw to the content I produce, I have to be aware that it can change just as the times, seasons, and news topics do. I was encouraged to not be afraid to target a smaller audience or one that may have never necessarily been targeted before, as long as I stay true to my brand. The hardest lesson was the advice to not be afraid of running a bad piece, one that just doesn’t hit. I am afraid of failure, but in Journalism, and in life, that is how you learn.