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The Future of Media, Explained - from Press Gazette

The future of women's magazines

Women's magazines (along with other mag sectors) had a tough time in the 2010s, with Marie Claire, Now, InStyle UK, Look and Glamour among the print closures.


But Cosmopolitan UK, owned by Hearst, survived that difficult period and has now massively grown its digital audience in the past eight years from about four million users per month to 16.8 million.


It has made it its mission to be on top of the latest trends, including being one of the first publishers to create shows for Snapchat Discover in the UK in 2018 and experimenting with gaming platform Roblox last year.


Cosmopolitan UK editor-in-chief Claire Hodgson spoke to Press Gazette about what defines the brand in 2023, the role of a modern magazine editor, and how they are preparing for whatever the future may hold next.


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