How Many Types of Magazines Are There?

There are three types of magazines: consumer, trade and professional, and house organ, or in-house. Magazines are categorized according to the audiences they address.

Consumer magazines target a specific audience within the masses of people. They focus on a certain need or interest, such as sports, fashion, health and homes. Examples of consumer magazines are Reader’s Digest and Seventeen.

Trade and professional magazines are published for readers in professional or business fields. Examples of trade and professional magazines are Publishers Weekly and National Fisherman.

In-house or house organ magazines serve the needs of employees, clients or members belonging to a specific company or group. Examples of in-house magazines are Avon Hill General and Nintendo Power. Magazines are distributed as paid, nonpaid or controlled, where only certain insiders, determined through a survey, have access to them.