Q&A: Melissa Dukovac
November 11, 2009
image courtesy of People Magazine
Since my blog is about pop culture and I am a magazine journalism major, I decided to try and track down someone to interview from one of my favorite publications, “People Magazine.” Through my aunt who works for Bernstein and Rein, I somehow got in contact with Melissa Dukovac, an account manager for “People.” Thank god for connections, right? Because her job is immersed in the world of entertainment and celebrity news, I felt she was more than qualified to appear on the pages of “Dirty Pop.” Here’s how it went down:
Q: What is your job title and what do you do for “People Magazine”?
A: I am an account manager for people and I sell advertising into the pages of “People.” I have everything to do with the advertising.
Q: What is special about “People Magazine” and what do you pride yourself on by being a account manager for the publication?
A: ”People Magazine” is a distinct brand within the celebrity coverage category. We don’t publish on rumor and speculation. What a lot of people don’t know is that “People” got its start through “Time Magazine.” Originally, it was a page within “Time” called the “People Page.” ”Time Magazine” tested it, and here we are 35 years later. ”People” is still held to the same level of credibility as Time, so we have to make sure we have the story right. Of course there are going to be rumors, but unless proven and fact-checked, they won’t be published. ”People” may have some ideas on some things that are going on, but they can’t be published unless confirmed.
Q: Do you have an idea of what the cover story is going to be before the issue has gone to print so you can pick ads and place them accordingly?
A: It goes along the same lines as the separation of church and state. The advertisers are not aware of who is on the cover–it’s very secret and breaking news when it hits the stands. We don’t want other magazines to steal our cover story. So who is on the cover does not affect what ads we put in the issue. Sometimes we do get a slight heads-up when “People” is paying for baby photos. News about “People” purchasing Britney Spears’ baby photos was released to the public, but we still weren’t allowed to put it in writing. Sometimes we have a glimpse of what the cover may be, but we can’t say a word.
Q: Are there certain ads or advertisers that “People Magazine” tries to include in its issues?
A: Well, 70 percent of “People” readers are women, so the ads usually cater more to females. We have to target everybody though. If you are into celebrity entertainment, you read “People Magazine.” That goes for men and women.
Q: Have you noticed any trends in ads throughout “People Magazine’s” 35 years?
A: The trends are mainly Middle-America, and for the most part consumer package goods. Some of the big names include: Coca-Cola, P&G, and Kraft. We reach everybody, so it’s really a broad range of ads that have been published throughout the years.
Q: Can you give me a scoop on any celebrity gossip?
A: Nothing comes to mind as of right now. We didn’t have an edit call last week, so I didn’t get any new information. Our next meeting is on Friday. For the most part, it’s like the magazine cover—it’s always a secret. And when you see it in “People,” you know it’s true.
Until next time,
XOXO-
Clara
need to clean up the post. you have People with and without quote marks; same with Time. need to be consistent with the way you do things. also, look to edit the questions so they are as straightforward and concise as can be.