Institutional Research

·      Archant: The company began in 1845 when four Norfolk business men launched its first ever publication, Norfolk News, a weekly newspaper. Over the years, the companies influence and portfolio increased, and it now produces a variation of regional magazines all over the country. Its financial budget gradually increased when the company continued buying newspapers and magazines from companies such as Market Link Publishing and Romsey Publishing Group. 1.35 million print copies are produced every week, and online websites for Archants' news brands reach over 4.8 million readers every month.

•   Guardian Media Group plc - Owned Manchester Evening News, City Life and 40 other purchased titles in Berkshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Surrey. In 2010, Guardian Media Group sold its regional media group, consisting of 42 titles, to Trinity Mirror for £45 million.

•   Regional Independent Media - Based in Leeds, bought by Johnston in 2002. Owned 102 regional papers centred on Yorkshire, such as The Yorkshire Post and Sheffield Star. Formed in 1997 when United News & Media sold the papers to the venture capital company Candover for £360 million.

•   Trinity Mirror plc - UK's largest newspaper group since Trinity (then the largest regional group) took over the Mirror Group in September 1999. Has 240 local and regional newspapers, including the Echo. The company doubled its size when it bought Thomson regionals for £327 million in 1995. It also took over Scottish and Universal in 1992 for £43 million.  In 2010, Trinity Mirror bought GMG Regional Media, publisher of 32 titles, from Guardian Media Group for £44.8 million.  In 2015, Trinity Mirror bought Local World.

For my magazine, I would have IPSO as a regulatory body. IPSO (The Independent Press Standards Organisation) is an independent regulator for the British newspaper and magazine industry. Their organisation consists of holding newspapers and magazines accountable for their actions in order to protect rights for individuals and maintain freedom of expression.

After thorough exploration of different regulatory bodies, I have decided upon IPSO after researching the types of newspapers and magazines they regulate. As pictured in the screenshots below, IPSO monitors a range of regional magazines, including the two Cornish magazines I have been researching – Cornwall Life and Cornwall Today.

In terms of legal restraints, there are rules and regulations every magazine needs to follow, known as The Editors Code. The Code establishes the rules that newspapers and magazines under regulation by the IPSO need to follow. These rules are stated as follows:

1.    Accuracy

2.   Privacy

3.   Harassment

4.   Intrusion into grief or shock
5.   Reporting Suicide

6.   Children

7.   Children in sex cases

8.  Hospitals

9.   Reporting of Crime

10. Clandestine devices and subterfuge

11. Victims of sexual assault

12. Discrimination

13. Financial journalism

14. Confidential sources

15. Witness payments in criminal trials

16. Payment to criminals

In terms of my own magazine, I need to follow the Editors Code to ensure my magazine is as professional as I can make it.