Over time, data shown by Fortune showed that the need for magazines have decreased as media consumption through them has decreased by 23% from 2010 to 2015. Nowadays, media is mainly being consumed through the internet seeing as it has had an increase of 105% in those 5 years. This shows that magazines have become less relevant in our society because people can now search for the information they need and browse products that they need easily instead of going out and buying a magazine. According to a survey done on Facebook and Twitter by Rodrigo Olivares, 67% of participants said they did not read magazines with only 18% of them reading both digital and print magazines. These statistics reflect the magazine industry as over the years less and less magazines are being printed due to the majority of magazine companies having more subscribers digitally than physically. Magazines still have an audience to this day however print magazines are suffering because of the development of technology. Rodrigo Olivares, the writer who conducted the survey, wrote an article on his research and stated that ‘the print magazine industry is on life support’, meaning their purpose to society has lessened and are now struggling to stay relevant.

A purpose for magazines today is to pass the time and keep people entertained. An example of this is magazines in waiting rooms for hospitals and dentists so that visitors who do not have anything to do will not get bored while waiting. Another purpose would be for leisure for those who want to pursue a hobby and find that subscribing to a magazine will help them best to improve.