Just flick...don't read (Star Magazine)

Member Name: MarcoG

Product:	Star Magazine
Date:	16/10/08 (223 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's written in English

Disadvantages: It's written at all

You might wonder why a guy in his mid 20s is reading a magazine like Star. Wonder you might. I don't really read these magazines, I flick. Sometimes whilst waiting for a train, I pop into the station's WHSmiths and...flick. If I'm lucky enough, I'll find one left on the train for me to...flick. Why flick? Well, quite frankly, this magazine is duller than Dully McDull the dull Doll. However, it does sometimes have pretty good photos. Admittedly they are paparazzi photos (booo, they're bad, I've been papped more than twice, it's not a nice experience, they blind you with flashes then you bump into things from blindness...don't ask) but still it can be remotely interesting to find out who the latest victims of these killer pappos are. Now, I'd like to make myself clear, I'm not interested for the sake of gossip, I'm interested just to see what is going on in the world of sensationalized media...a magazine like Star is great for this.

Star is a magazine full of celebrity gossip. If you like the sound of this, then you would probably like this magazine. I mentioned the photos and the pictures, that is for a very clever reason, the news and stories...hang on, I wouldn't go so far as to call it news...the bitchy writing in this magazine is about as useful as a British Rail conductor - therefore pointless. The writing is simple and bland. The news is worthless and cheap. The stories are shallow and unimpressive. If you find it hard to string a sentence together and need to look at a close up of Mischa Barton's (who the hell is she anyway) new zit, confirming in your mind that you are prettier, before you can grant yourself the courtesy to walk into a room without gasping that someone is actually wearing something from Primark, then this magazine is right up your street.

The magazine has different sections, like all good magazines. At a glance, they include Breaking News, The Big Picture and Celebrities Exposed. As well as fashion and beauty, there is also horoscopes and TV listings. Doesn't sound too horrendous so far, but on closer inspection, the only desire to just 'flick' through the pictures makes itself evident. Breaking News has contained a recent story about Annette Benning and her support of Republican VP Sarah Palin. What's this? Politics...in the same magazine that consumes itself with whether or not someone looks better on the red carpet in indigo or darker blue...Yes, politics! Hang on, well no, not really. You see the article tells us that Benning thinks we should respect Palin, even though Benning is self confessed Democrat. Interesting stuff, but that is all the article says. There's no mention of what Palin's main views are, or even what time and date the VP debate is on, so you can watch it if you so choose. I assume the writers think their readers would be too busy watching Hollyoaks, or paint dry, to concern themselves with whether or not Biden is going rip Palin apart, or if he is going to stand back and make herself look like a complete loser on her own. Ahhh, now do you understand why I just...flick.

Star Magazine is part of the Northern and Shell Media group, who also publish papers such as the Daily and Sunday Express, the Daily and Sunday Star, as well as OK! Magazine and New Magazine. This isn't surprising, when you consider that in order to make Star magazine, they sweep the editing floor of these 'fine' publications, filter out the relevant and interesting stuff (which they throw away), then mix what they have left with the remains of the makeup room's bin, add a few bright titles, then hey presto, they have Star Magazine. Alarmingly, N&R Media have reported a 50% rise in sales from last year (bringing their readership to 4 people, instead of 2...haha). It was launched in 2003 and circulation has grown to 250,000! Who is reading this stuff? Well, their main target audience is young women, who look for a more unconventional read, steering more towards celebrity gossip and salacious news. The magazine says about itself that "Star readers look for exclusive, unposed pictures that show celebrities enjoying life to the full in their own environment." Which is another way of saying, that their readers only want to see Paris Hilton with her knickers round her ankles, falling out the back of a limo, after a romp with some man, causing her makeup to smear, making her pooch look prettier than her. Or perhaps that their readers would prefer to read about Posh Spice's new diet trick, or newly failed boob job after Lindsay Lohan tried to rip them off in a brawl outside L.A's finest nightclub. Clearly, the need for global news or even a whiff of politics or anything news worthy is left in the bin...makes sense now.

If any of this appeals to you, you can buy it from any decent shop or newsagent (or Tesco), for 99p. Be careful though, if you keep reading this magazine, the price will go up. I prefer to grab a copy whilst waiting for the typically unreliable public transport to turn up, to save my penny short of a pound for more stimulating things, such as paying a decorator to let me watch his paint dry. Although with past headlines such as 'Stars Get Fatter', what can be more stimulating...let me think...

If you can bring yourself to it, have a look at their website: www.star-magazine.co.uk

Thanks for reading :)


© MarcoG 2008
(also on other sites)

Summary: ...don't bother