1960's General interest magazines

1960s general interest magazines many of which eventually ceased pulication due to increasing competion from television

image: Homemaker magazine Christmas 1965

image: POPULAR MOTORING March 1962

image: PARADE magazine circa 1966

image: INTERNATIONAL TIMES late sixties 'underground' magazine

image: MOTORCYCLE 1962 show edition

image: JOHN BULL ceased publication in the 1960's

The post war years had been very austere. The 1950's were a fairly cheerless time. There were shortages of almost everything and, much of what was available, was subject to official rationing. As the decade progressed towards the sixties conditions began to improve and this was reflected in the growth of magazines dedicated to leisure pursuits. In fact there were publications produced for almost every conceivable interest and age group.

Homemaker magazine shown here reflects a growing affluence in the the 1960's, as does Popular motoring. The motor car was becoming more affordable even if the relatively high cost of garage bills encouraged many motorists to do their own repairs. IT or International Times was regarded as highly subversive due to it's anti establishment stance. John Bull was a features magazine that fell victim to increasing Television Competition.

image: TODAY magazine circa 1963

image: MAD magazine had a cult following in the sixties

image: PRATICAL GARDENING circa 1960

image: PLAYBOY circa 1964

image: PUNCH magazine Christmas 1961

image: FLYING REVIEW from 1967 featuring the then new Harrier jump jet

Today magazine was targeted at the populist market, it's editorial contents were mainly devoted to celebrity stories and competitions. A pretty girl sitting on the bonnet of a car that you could potentially win was a typical sales ploy. Mad magazine was a popular cult magazine in the early years of the sixties. Practical Gardening was one of a whole series of magazines published that incorporated the word 'practical' as part of the title.

Playboy: a new concept in mens pinup magazines was part of the Playboy organisation. The concept was that if you bought the magazine, you too would be a magnet for women everywhere! Punch had been around since Victorian times. Old copies of Punch were often to be found in dentists waiting rooms. Flying Review had at one time been published under the title of RAF Flying review. I remember this because my dad used to buy it.

image: OZ a late sixties 'underground' magazine

image: PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY circa 1965

image: VOGUE up market fashion magazine 1960

image: TIT-BITS a sixties edition of this long established magazine

image: RADIO TIMES with Z Cars as it's cover feature

image: TV TIMES with Emergency Ward 10 as it's cover feature

Oz another anarchic 'underground' magazine from the late sixties similar in concept to International Times. Practical Photography, one of several magazine titles in the 'practical' series. Vogue was a fashion glossy aimed at the high end of the fashion market, it helped to set trends in style and dress.

Tit-Bits was an old established weekly magazine that was full of cartoons, and stories of a sensationalist nature. Note the headline story on this particular edition. Radio times and TV Times were read by most households in the sixties even though the national newspapers published radio and television schedules

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