Case study by Megan Szram

When founded in Cincinnati in 1894, Billboard Advertising magazine was a trade paper for the bill posting industry, hence the magazine's name. Within a few years of its founding, it began to carry news of outdoor amusements, a major consumer of billboard space. Eventually Billboard became the paper of record for circuses, carnivals, amusement parks, fairs, vaudeville, minstrels, whale shows and other live entertainment. The magazine began coverage of motion pictures in 1909 and of radio in the 1920s.

It was the development of the juke box industry during the 1930s which led The Billboard to begin publishing the music charts for which it ultimately became famous. This also began the process which would lead the magazine to gradually cede coverage of other parts of the entertainment industry to such publications as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. In the 1950s it introduced a section covering the television industry, including ratings charts for programs. It continued to carry news of fairs, carnivals, theme parks and other outdoor entertainments until 1961 when these departments were transferred to a new weekly magazine called Amusement Business. By this time television coverage had also been transferred to another publication.From 1961 until 2005, Billboard was devoted entirely to the music industry. In 2005, the magazine and its web sites were repositioned to provide coverage of all forms of digital and mobile entertainment.

Billboard magazine covers every aspect of the music business, from radio and television to CD, DVD and video cassette sales and internet music downloads. It features charts, news stories, features and opinion articles. For the most part, Billboard is intended for music professionals, such as record label executives and Djs. It is generally considered a business-to-business magazine, for music industry professionals, though it can be found at many bookstores. The magazine extensively covers the entertainment business, but Billboard remains best known for its charts. The editorial coverage and broader strategy is guided by its editorial director, Bill Werde.

Much of the magazine, in addition to up-to-the-minute coverage, is available at Billboard's B2B site, Billboard.biz. Billboard.com is the consumer-centered site, and includes artist interviews, daily news and, of course, charts.

Billboard.com also features video programming, including artist interviews, performances and event coverage. For instance, Billboard has red carpet footage from the 2009 Grammy Awards and intimate interviews with acts like Keyshia Cole, Adele and 30 Seconds to Mars.

Here are a few of the special editions billboard have made, and had on sale

First ever issue Christmas 1896 10th anniversary

•(Billboard Magazine) "Jackson Fans Flood Digital Music Services“

Billboard often has a special edition, mainly every month Billboard has produced many popular special editions

which are devoted to an artist or a genre of music to the whole magazine (this attract more buyers and makes the magazine more popular)

Front cover Contents pagePopular music chart