Customer Magazines as Hybrids of Journalism and PR

Abstract

Customer magazines have a long tradition and their origins can be traced back several centuries; however, it is difficult to determine a defined origin for the roots of customer magazines. This chapter defines customer magazines as organizational publications that appear periodically, address customers of a company, are edited in a journalistic manner, and are usually distributed free of charge. These magazines are part of a long-lasting development in which ever more companies publish content for their customers that gives the impression of independent journalistic reporting. The chapter looks at the strategic functions of customer magazines and at the journalistic functions, locating the magazines in-between journalism and public relations. Digitalization has profoundly changed the media landscape. On the one hand, for media production and reporting, the spread of the Internet fundamentally changed various aspects of journalism. On the other hand, digitalization had wide-ranging consequences for the way people use media.

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