Merken magazine
The History of the Magazine
Magazines have been a source of intellect, entertainment and in shaping culture, they have continually and successfully adapted and evolved, to better shape and fit today’s societal changes. This Article features A look into the evolution of the magazine: A Flipbook.
MEDIA WORLD
Ayoub Iken
7/12/20242 min read
361 years ago, the first magazine ever was published, Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen authored by German theologian and poet Johann Rist. It focused on literature and philosophy. However, Edward Cave, the publisher of The Gentlemen’s Magazine, was the first to use the term “MAGAZINE” in 1731. Although, the word magazine itself is borrowed from Arabic, meaning storage spaces “makhāzin” (مخازن) plural for “makhzan” (مخزن).
The world of publishing saw an uprising in magazines in the 20th century, giving birth to the modern magazine. In the first half of the century, magazines were sources of news, entertainment, fashion, and sports, for all ages. With the rise of photography, and the political events during this period, magazines played a role in shaping the public’s opinion, whether political, social, or cultural. By the late 20th century, most popular magazines covered diverse types of topics, however, they faced competition with new forms of mass media; television. Magazines then became mostly popular for topics like fashion, events, and celebrity gossip.
Reading magazines remains essential (if not more than ever) as a variety of topics such as arts, culture, technology, and politics require a deeper insight due to the pace of today’s world. It combines visual appeal with fun high-quality content tailored to a community holding the same passions. By keeping the values of magazines as they provide well-researched articles that promote critical thinking, diverse perspectives, and curated quality content alongside the entertaining essence of social media that people gravitate towards nowadays. This merge keeps readers intellectually stimulated, inspired, and up-to-date in a distraction-free environment that bewitches you with content tailored to you.
A magazine is a cultural, intellectual connector, creating shared experiences and common points of reference. It can also be a nostalgic experience that brings back the old good memories of a boring afternoon when the magazine was your hero and savior. Moreover, Magazines are collectible. Some people love collecting magazines, particularly special issues. After all, collecting a usually appealing piece that has quality content. Alongside the collecting aspect, magazines are great for hanging pages on the wall, making collages, or cutting the letters for an anonymous letter to your lover.
Merken Magazine Editorial team
Presents to you a look into the evolution of the Magazine.
