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Rose Setshoge's profile and articles

Magazines opinion

Don't black faces sell magazines?

By: Rose Setshoge
17 Mar 2008 09:1942 commentsBizLike
The Times last week reported that a Nigerian model, Oluchi Onweagba, accused the local editions of Glamour and GQ of refusing to have her on the covers of the publications because she is black. If this claim is true - that indeed race is an issue - perhaps Conde Nast Independent Magazines need to find out how many black average issue readers (AIR) it has.
According to AMPS 2006/7, GQ's AIR is 319 000, of which 114 000 (36%) readers are black, while white readers are 133 000 (42%). On the other hand, of Glamour's AIR of 415 000, 129 000 (31%) is black and 167 000 (40%) is white. Now that the black market formulates a significant number of readership, perhaps black faces must be displayed once and again just to acknowledge this market.

Imagine: if black readers had to pull out of these publications because of this little controversy, this would impact negatively on circulation figures, which is dreadful for advertising.

Magazines and unidentified market

If these magazines cater for a white market, what about black consumers that hold a strong readership? Does the publisher politely say to them, "Stop reading this product because you are not my target market?!"

Few years ago, I was a loyal average issue reader of numerous typical female targeted titles. I would buy up to five issues per month until I discovered the affluence of reading economic, business, health and political - basically educational - publications, rather than fashion, celebrities and all non-important subjects.

Nonetheless, the main reason I switched my readership is mainly for product sampling purposes that alleged clearly that I wasn't the market they were catering for. Examples of these products include makeup which was not suitable for my skin tone, flops which were about size 10 and other irrelevant gifts. Clearly, these publications had a skew idea of their markets or perhaps, indeed, I was not the target.

See, research is very important, especially in this complicated marketplace.

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About Rose Setshoge

Rose Setshoge is a media intelligence analyst for a giant media company. She writes this in her own capacity. Contact her via email at .View MyBiz profile and articles...
the maths-
if 40% of glamour's readership is white, that means 60% of its readership comprises women of colour (wih 30% being Black, and a further 30% probably being Indian or Coloured?)

not exactly rocket science. why is the magazine then pandering to 40% of its market? Posted on 17 Mar 2008 10:47
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Re: Supermodel “too black” for SA magazines-
Re: Supermodel “too black” for SA magazines

Dear Mr Ray Hartley

Re: Supermodel “too black” for SA magazines (The Times, Tuesday March 11 2208) by Poppie Mphuthing and Sashni Pather

While I am not in a position to explain or defend the cover choices of other magazines, I feel Oluchi Onewaga, was being extremely disingenuous in saying that SA glossies do not use black faces on their covers. In fact, Oluchi herself, appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan as long ago as September 2003. Interestingly, this cover remains one of our best selling of all time. As are the covers we have run of Beyonce, Tyra Banks, Chi Chi Letswalo and most recently, Rhihanna. In fact, our current cover is the R and B star, Alicia Keys, who, the last time I looked, was not exactly lily white either.

Best wishes,

Vanessa Raphaely
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Tel: 021 464 6258
Fax: 021 461 2500 Posted on 17 Mar 2008 11:37
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GQ Reader
Research-
I have seen GQ magazines with Kyra Banks, Halle Berry, Tiger Woods, Bryan Habana, DJ Fresh and Lucas Radebe....clearly research has to be done, but not by GQ! Posted on 17 Mar 2008 12:08
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black and black-
ah - but the light-skinned international celebrities of the likes of beyonce and alicia keyes (who we'd refer to as coloured here, she being bi-racial) are so much more "acceptable" as beautiful than the dark black beauties of African shores ...

points to ms raphaely for responding though.

it'd be nice if other SA eds and publishers actually got their teeth into this issue and resolved it and communicated with black magazine readers. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 12:09
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symaxbee
Well I still think - Black is not represented-
As much as I tried to give my magazine proposal to someone who would do something with it without any luck still today. I still think we are not represented. Ya I know someone is thinking true love - I think they do Ads more than anything. I thought Khanyi would come up with a better version of True love but still she came up with a magazine I held and knew it was too complicated for me to read. Well maybe its target market is not me. So who is representing me - NO1

I bought a magazine and I was amazed not to come across any black person. I bought a baby mag and most/all of it talks about white kids,has white kid's pictures - well i never looked at one until I was preggies. I again made a proposal and no1 was interested. I know black peeps raise kids differently and we have different ways of doing things that whites.

Black is only good enough when its Beyonce - what about our own black sisters - doesnt US have enough magazines to cover Beyonce - have they covered one of our stars- why do they have to opt for magazines like Move?

Cosmopolitan is white, even if they put a black picture there - its still white

I can go on about this magazine sagga and I will need someone to do new developments on this website.

I have decided to learn more until I have my own Empire in this industry. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 12:33
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mel
you are right...-
i think black, coloured, indian, and all other nationalities are not represented. i look on the covers of sports illustrated and other mags and only see WHITE WOMAN. what about catering for the black man, the other men of colour? its sick and disgusting that when you flip through these mags (FHM, etc) its just white.... Posted on 15 Oct 2008 07:54
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Diane Kisela
Magazine targeted at black women-
Hi,

I was interested in your idea and would like to discuss further. Please contact me (Business Directory -) Company listed -) DCKK Consulting).

Kind regards,

Diane Posted on 8 Jan 2010 09:12
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dnice
the age of entitlement-
This is an all too familiar scenario: a black person doesn't get the job and in turn decides to play the race card. However, judging by the thumbnail shown here, perhaps it wasn't her skin colour, but instead some sort of quality control, which resulted in her not being chosen? Posted on 17 Mar 2008 15:00
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grammar nazi
what's up with the pompous language?-
Please use normal English when you write. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 15:04
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Ironic, don't you think-
It is so ironic to play the race card and personally I am sick to death of race being an excuse.
You don't have white journo's organising covert press conferences, you don't have white's picketing in the streets for the quota systems to be enforced in Soccer, so why does everyone get all uppity when there is one (very wealthy) schmodel that did not get a cover. She is being a bit arrogant and quite franky looking for more exposure.
She is not the best thing to come out of Africa and I am sure there are lots more where she comes from. She is old news.
Maybe we need to select people based on their talents and skills rather than play the race card all the time.

Get on with it - seriously!

With that in mind, will Destiny feature a white woman on the cover to appease the 5% non-black readership?? Posted on 17 Mar 2008 15:18
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Reality-
Whites are a MINORITY ... look it up in the dictionary. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 16:19
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vusi
Pedestrian Language-
Rose, if you are going to bother putting your ideas out there,please ensure that your articles are well thought and clear. I am sorry but your article was very pedestrian and I really battled to make sense of what you were all about. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 15:25
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me
DNICE-
The pic is of the author not Oluchi. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 16:20
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stick to the facts-
Oluchi cancelled the glamour and gq shoots due to a clash in her schedule. this happens on a daily basis in both the ad and publishing industries, and things just carry on - i thought that this had already been put to bed!

where the race element sprang up from is anyone's guess. maybe a thinly veiled attempt to regain some attention? let's keep things in perspecive here, and focus on somthing that actually deserves a heated debate. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 16:24
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Journo
Typical!-
Although I agree that Oluchi isn't necessarily the ideal individual to have raised this issue -- this smacks of publicity seeking, she's practically a has-been and was never as big as the Naomi Campbells or Imans of the fashion industry -- I do think it's important to open this discussion.

And, of course, in typical Saffa fashion, we're missing the point completely and instead focusing on peripheral crap such as the picture accompanying the article, 'entitlement' and grammar (as evidenced in the comments above).

Let's be real here, people. Many magazines in this country hit the shelves month-after-month without acknowledging the existence of the bulk of this country's population. And they expect Black readers to be happy with the odd picture of Halle or Beyonce or Alicia Keys. The white market is a minority, this is South Africa and, as many studies have now shown, the Black market is consuming more and more media. Yet, the glossies in this country refuse to reflect the actual demographics of the readership.

Why? Is it ignorance? Are magazine staff members out of touch? Should we be getting more Black journos on staff at magazines (yes, good Black journos do exist)? Is it a question of ownership? What about the impact of advertisers and segmentation? Let's really start debating this issue... Posted on 17 Mar 2008 16:32
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Good, good point!!!-
Important factors you have raised there...I feel that many readers now purchase mags for loyalty purposes more than anything else. I cannot say that the content/information makes a difference in their lives, anyway. Topics are recycled from international publications and then circulated from one (publication) to other (in South Africa). Posted on 17 Mar 2008 16:52
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Journo
continued...-
... And from a purely economic perspective, wouldn't it make more financial sense for a magazine to become more attractive to Black readers, seeing as Black spend outstrips our White compatriots? If a magazine that formerly ignored Black readers can lure readers away from a 'Black' publication such as True Love, the advertisers will follow. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 17:13
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Mag Saga
Oh lets see what Destiny has....-
In store for us.Khanyi mentioned in September issue of True-love that Destiny will cover all races the coloured and Indians will dominate...so far only three issues were up which covered 3 black faces. Lets wait and see!!! Posted on 17 Mar 2008 17:10
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Dave S
WHO DECIDES-
Is it the readers or some marketing/ad agency 'expert' who decides whether or not readers will buy a magazine because of a black or white model? I'd say its probably the latter. And is it a generalisation. Don't 'men mags' like FHM and Zoo Weekly (R.I.P) include black models (and really beautifull ones at that) and surely that says something about male readers. And - what if Drum carried a pic of Kerry Mc Gregor? For what its worth, and for those who confused Rose's pic with that of the model in question, I think its a great pic. Does she do any modelling herself. Posted on 17 Mar 2008 17:10
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Fact is Blacks don't sell-
Look, Blacks don't sell because editors(well one that I know off) don't want them too.

He said it has something to do with the white readers who only made up less that 46% of the readership.. blah blah

So yeah, there you have it. White people don't want Black people on their coffee table Posted on 18 Mar 2008 04:53
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Proud One
If it is really true-
If thats really what they believe or think that black dont sell, they should look around!!

Transformation needs to be enforced, this is Africa afterall! Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:13
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Dave S
Reality check-
Unfortunately as much as we'd like change to happen, transformation of attitudes and market behaviour can't be forced. AA and BEE are forms of forced transformation - but if the real attitudes of the people aren't given time to evolve, then the transformation process is merely a pendulum swing and a build up of negative energy. The result - an engineered change process that has no crediblity. Perhaps we should take note of and positively re-enforce the changing culture of the market (e.g. what models would sell magazines) - rather than decide for them and force them to accept something based on political idea, even though that idea may be justified. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:23
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Lilly
Hang on, perhaps, it was a race card pulled on Oluchi-
These publications editors'- or any editor for that matter- would publicly confirm Oluchi's allegations to be true. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 12:16
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Dave S
Black coffee tables-
In response to the previous comment, am I reading you right in saying black editors don't really want blacks on the covers. Does this mean blacks don't want blacks on their coffee tables? Perhaps this is then all part of a bigger picture of culture and American white domination of the media than simple decisions of who is on the cover of what magazine. Still - would Drum put a white woman on their cover? Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:00
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grammar nazi
Good point made-
Dave, this is a good point you raise. Why only condemn the "white" magazines? Why not also point fingers to these "black" magazines and get them to transform as well.

I don't think it's going to happen, but here's hoping it will. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:18
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Hi Grammar Nazi-
I seriously feel that this is an issue of multi racial market. (Sure history played a 'great' role in dividing people, hasn't it?!) Anyway, you have publications in Afrikaans such as Rooi Rose which clearly states the market and also Move/ Drum (which I don't think a white female would take off the shelf- but hang on, these mags are not even distributed in their footprint areas. I think the author said something like "does the publisher turn away this "unidentified market" that add about 40% or so to AIR or cater for them anyway. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:37
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hardly-
Black magazines in SA serve the same purpose minority magazines serve in white majority countries. to give media space to a population that otherwise wouldn't be seen. madness in a country with a majority black population. and seeing as putting black women on covers is still a problem for white editors (i've been in meetings where this decision is defended constantly despite the changing demographic of the readers) i don't see why "black magazines" should change. right now, a foreigner looking at a pick 'n pay mag stand would think SA was a country of whites. there are so many SA versions of international titles, but mags like ebony, essence etc aren't on our supermarket shelves. seems to me the black consumer can't just be middle class and read a magazine that speaks just to her, but must pick up either a mag with a white woman on the cover and in the pages to recognise her life a bit, or give up and be bombarded with true love's millions of ads because advertisers are desperate to reach "black diamonds", instead of being able to pick up a mag that speaks just to her.

There should be more magazines targeting the majority of the population. maybe what should happen is we should leave the feminas and fairladys to continue as before and publishing companies should make concerted efforts to introdce more magazines to cater for the black market; i hardly think move, real and true love cover even anywhere near the spectrum of black women readers out there. after all, the black market is just black diamonds or shack-dwelling single mums. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:47
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covers irrelevant-
hi everyone.
when I buy a magazine I buy it because I am loyal to the content and to the reader take-out. I'm black and I buy every issue of Cosmo regardless of whose on the cover. it's the stories inside that I want. models on the cover really have no bearing on whether or not I buy the mag. I think that's how all loyal magazine readers should be like. buy it because you believe in the magazine's messages INSIDE. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 09:56
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It's all about circulation-
When I worked at a big women's magazine we were told in no uncertain terms by the publisher that circulation dips when there is a black person on the cover, and I'm sure this can be proven with figures, if someone in a circ dept will actually speak up here.
You can go on and on about white people being the minority, but the fact of the matter is that they are the ones actually buying the magazines. Just because a magazine has a big black readership, doesn't mean it has a big black circulation - and circulation is what gets advertisers on board. If all the black people moaning in this forum actually went out and bought a magazine with a black cover model, circulation won't dip, and publishers won't be reluctant to use black models. (The same argument can be used for why magazines don't have overweight people on the cover - because it doesn't sell.)
That said, I don't think it applies so much to the 'younger' mags, as younger people aren't as hung up about colour as the readers of the older, more established mags. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 10:03
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REDHED
Mutton dressed as lamb again-
I agree...If I had a car magazine I wouldn't put a handbag on the front cover cos the readership was 60 percent female.

The magazine, as a product, is aimed at a specific reader, if people buy it, its cos that is what they aspire to, are interested in or want.

And I too am sick of this race card being used EVERY time a black person doesnt' get a job/shoot/winning entry to a competition/whatever.

I'm gonna start pulling the race card too from now on! Posted on 18 Mar 2008 11:09
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like that hasn't been done-
sweetheart, your race has been there and done that. give the rest of us a chance. welcome to a world where everyone believes they're special, not just you. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 11:48
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Amen!!-
Amen!!!!! Posted on 18 Mar 2008 11:51
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Dave S
SWEATHEART?-
Now who's playing a great race card sweatheart. Unless we're in our late-ish forties, our 'race' (the whities) haven't been there and done that - but wait - is this about race or about individuals? Should those of my race who are younger give up their aspirations of a career because now its about race not about what you can do as a person? But I'm confused here, is it races or individuals that buy magazines? If its about race then we're all a bit doomed to see history repeat itself and I think and all these magazines are going to crash and burn. And, perhaps, sweatheart, me as one of that race that has apparently been there and done that (including being retrenched due to AA and losing a lot of business because of BEE and giving up a free lance career because of being 'that race') may be an exception or banging my head against a wall trying to think of individuals and not race and trying everyday not to be bitter about this kind of situation. I may be an exception but I truly believe and hope I'm not the only one. Now, excuse me, I'm going out to buy a copy of FHM. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 12:12
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the invisibility of priviledge - being male and white-
don't discount the fact that you're white gives you more. whether you acknowledge it or not. Welcome to what life is and was like for millions of black SAns. Except - hey they don't have the internet and access to media representation like you have.

and this entire conversation has been about race. Black cover models remember? Posted on 18 Mar 2008 12:32
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Dave S
IS IT RACES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE CHOICES?-
Maybe so, and making these statements doesn't deny years of discrimination and hurt against people - but being white doesn't automatically give you a privilage in the here and now, or a great salary. Many of us still work hard, or have worked hard, to achieve what we have got - and today many white people have achieved their positions not because of race. Granted, for someone my age, 40 years of personal history may have put us in a different position to a forty year old black man, but for me its 2007, not 1987 when many like me were at varsity and many of us were (maybe naively so) hoping for a future free from that kind of discrimination which, ironically, gave us the advantage and which now seems to be a sword over our heads. But - lets leave that - is this about race, black models, or is it all tied up into a whole picture that cannot be isolated into neat blocks. I used to buy FHM for example because I'm part of a certain demographic, and I dated a 'black' girl because I'm attracted to her as a person and found here in a space where race meant nothing and individual choice was something. So - do individuals buy magazines, cars, access the internet and enter into relationships or do races. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 12:49
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both-
certainly individuals do, but don't discount that race is a part of who we are, especially if we're black and have been and continue to be marginalised.

So despite the fact that I'm black, live a western life and have a white husband, still want the magazines I buy to talk to me, because i would really like to feel part of the human club, and not sidelined, told i'm not beautiful enough, or that my stories aren't important enough.

and i want to see women who look like me in the magazines I buy, because someday i'm going to have a child who is going to not recognise her beauty as acknowledged in the world around her unless she sees it, acknowledged and reinforced constantly in black and white, so to speak. As much as i can say i love you and you're beautiful and important, she needs to know that i'm not the only one. and that starts with proper, non-stereotypical media representation. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 14:26
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Busi
Don't BUY Cosmo or Glamour-
Vote with your wallets - I stopped buying GLAMOUR a long time ago. A friend of mine almost had a heart attack when she saw me with a GLAMOUR MAG. She was like "the editor of this mag doesn't want black faces on the cover - never ever buy this mag again!" Because she's a dear friend who has worked for Media24 and Associated Magazines - I believed her 100% and STOPPED buying GLAMOUR. Imagine what a laugh I had when Oluchi spoke against GLAMOUR - friend you were right all along! PS You can get Essence, Ebony, Jet, Vibe; Pride at PaperWeight - half the price! Posted on 18 Mar 2008 12:29
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Cosmo DOES have black covers!!!!-
I'm a Cosmo reader and I have saved every edition. I can remember Alek Wek, Oluchi, Chi Chi Letswalo, Hlubi Mboya on their covers. they even had Bassie years ago, back in the 80s! AND they have US black stars like Rhihanna, Tyra, Beyonce, Halle Berry, on the cover ....the stories have experts of all races quoted and all races of young women featured. ELLE also has all races on it's cover. So give my favourite magazine a break and don't lump it with Glamour which NEVER has black chicks at all. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 13:29
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Busi
My apologies to COSMO reader-
My point is if you as a black woman feel strongly against a certain mag (for whatever reason - cover models, stories..etc) then simply DO NOT buy it. It doesn't help moaning & moaning about it - just take a stand! But that is just ME and I think just moaning all the time - without taking any action - is just a waste of time. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 15:43
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Person
Are you and individual or do you jump in the fire with everyone else.-
Where are the indians, coloreds, fat people, old men. So irrelevant.
She was unprofessional. If I don't want to use a black model on my magazine then who are you to tell me any different.

The media needs to stop trying to bring racism into the spotlight. You and me as individuals see one another everyday and we aren't trying to kill each-other. We just see it in the news.

We are black & white and Colored and we have different cultures but at the end of it all we are individuals with our own perceptions and ideas. Posted on 18 Mar 2008 16:02
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lebo
what about the youth mags?-
i was recently happy to see that Cheeky Magazine have featured a black beauty on their cover. I've seen one or two other youth covers featuring us darker beauties,but why don't they do it more often? the youth are the most impressionable market and why don't we cover all basis? Posted on 19 Mar 2008 08:32
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Dark B
It depends, I think.....-
I think it depends on the issue of that particular Mag for that specific month. If a 'white mag' is going to focus on African models or models in general so what? It's the editor or who so ever' choice. Let it be. Forget the colour of the person on the Mag. Look at what plays on our TV screens and how different programmes are & how we opt for different channels. The same applies to 'black mags'. If a mag is targeting at a white / black market it's the magazines choice and if that's the case it doesn't neccessarily mean that that's where their focus should only be. If we claim to be a diverse country shouldn't our brains and options work that way??????? Posted on 19 Mar 2008 12:55
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