What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

XXL magazine was founded by former Source staffers and Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own hip-hop music and culture magazine using the model developed by the founders of The Source. Datwon Thomas resigned from XXL and executive editor Vanessa Satten was named the new Editor-in-Chief. In December 2006, XXL took over the struggling Hip-Hop producer and DJ magazine Scratch (another publication owned by Harris Publications), re-branding it as "XXL Presents Scratch Magazine". Scratch shut down in September 2007. Other titles with limited runs have been launched under the XXL brand, including Hip-Hop Soul, Eye Candy and Shade 45. XXL has released other exclusive projects such as tour programs, mixtapes and DVDs. XXL also maintains a popular website, which provides daily hip-hop news, original content and content from the magazine. Harris Publications is based in New York and publishes over 75 titles such as:

• XXL
• Antenna
• Juicy
• Rides
• King
• Combat Handguns
• Special Weapons for Military & Police
• Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement
• Tactical Knives
• Tactical Weapons
• Guns of the Old West
• New Pioneer
• PC How-To Guide
• Quilt
• Quick Quilts
• Quilt Almanac
• Romantic Country
• Mopar Action
• Drag Racing Action
• Dog News
• Who's Who in Baseball
• Small Business Opportunities
• Start Your Own Business
• Harris Farmers' Almanac'
• Exercise & Health
• Men's Workout
• Bridal Star Hairstyles
• Celebrity Hairstyles

The website that Harris Publications publishes is XXLMAG.com which is the website version of XXL magazine, it is very successful hip-hop website, it posts exclusive mix-tapes, interviews and pictures. It is said that XXL is the number one hip-hop magazine but only publishes 10 issues a year. XXL magazine is also well known for its rating system for different albums from "S" to "XXL". This magazine is aimed towards people that listen to hip-hop/rap music and follow the hip-hop culture, mainly the younger generation, it is very similar to its The Source magazine but has not been around for as long, therefore it isn't as popular with the older generation.

The Source Magazine

The Source Magazine was found in 1988 and was originally a newsletter and eventually progressed into a full magazine, it was the second longest running magazine behind the UK magazine "hip-hop connection.  The Source magazine is very highly regarded within the hip-hop culture and community, it has even been talked about as being "the hip-hop bible" The magazine is remembered for it's rating system of one to five Mics and a few albums have succeeded and got full five mics such as Nas Illmatic and Jay Z's The Blueprint.


The Source magazine will mainly target the fans of hip-hop and rap music because the audience of this publication is based around the genre of this music. This magazine is mainly targeted towards the younger generation as hip-hop and rap music has been very successful, on the other hand hip-hop music has been around for a long time and may attract some of the older generation as well.

Harris Publications may distribute my media product because it links with the same genre of two of there most successful magazines, for example "XXL" and "The Source" these both are based on the genre of "hip-hop" and have been a success on behalf of Harris Publications, my magazine also links with the forms and conventions of both magazines.