Generally, popular magazines focus on one (or more) of the following:
Like newspapers, popular magazines are aimed at the general public, so their articles are written so that the average person can understand them.
Special interest magazines are generally written for a very targeted audience - people who have that interest.
Articles are typically written by journalists or freelance writers; some special interest magazines may have articles written by scholars or researchers.
Many popular magazines are owned and published by media conglomerates, such as the Meredith Corporation, the Emerson Collective, and Lumina Media.
Magazines are usually published either:
People
Purpose: Entertainment
The Economist
Purpose: Info about current events
Mindful
Purpose: Special interest