For last class we were asked to compared a Magazine's printed edition to its online version. I chose Cosmopolitan, perhaps because Vanity Fair was absent from the shells. I prefer the printed version to its online "substitute", if we can call it such. For once, the hard cover has more vibrant colors defining what the edition is about. And of course, it only has one main image, which in this case it almost always happens to be a celebrity, of whom there is a profile featured inside. The content of the stories is very light, usually relationship advice, culinary recipes, beauty tips, and lots of style and fashion propaganda.

However, Cosmo Online offers more of its entertainment package to readers. I suppose this might be due to the nature of the medium, and also to the fact that the printed version requires more space for advertising, which steals from content. But online advertising can result a bit disturbing to the readers, or viewer, whose attention is suddenly diverted by a pop ad. Thanks

I found a few interesting facts about Cosmopolitan. The magazine, founded in 1970, has readers in more than 100 countries, featuring 58 international editions, according to a marketing study done in the United Kingdom. The same study rated the magazine as the top-selling magazine in the United States. It was revealing, although not shocking, to learn that the magazine is mostly read by women who spend over $1 billion a year in fashion. Cosmopolitan targets young, ambitious and informed women. It is alarming to note, as the study reported, that brands are the new substitute for traditions in today's value-decaying society.