PC magazine Computer Active has been given an overhaul in a bid to try to broaden the audience and take advantage of the demand for advice at the beginners end of the market.
The revamp includes heavier paper stock, improved navigation and more editorial space dedicated to PC problem solving and campaigning on behalf of consumers.
The news section, product reviews and 15-page pull out ‘Workshop’ section have undergone a shake up and there will be more of a lifestyle element to the magazine.
The news pages are expected to feature a wider range of stories and the question and answer section has increased from two to four pages.
Computer Active’s editor, Dylan Armbrust, said he hoped to broaden the magazine’s appeal. The title has a comparatively high female readership – 25 per cent of its readers are women – and Armbrust is hoping to attract more men, as well as women.
“Traditionally, computer magazines have appealed to men more than women but Computer Active has always been the title with the highest number of female readers. It is definitely the plain-English approach and our non-techiness that distinguishes it from the rest,” he told Press Gazette.
Armbrust also aims to place more emphasis on the benefits and use of digital technology, such as digital cameras, wireless home networks and MP3 players, as well as defending the rights of readers. “We are going to be much more aggressive in fighting for the rights of consumers, especially with the online dimension. A lot of people need to know how to cope with things such as online shopping,” he said.
The cover price is expected to remain the same at £1.35
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