The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the theory of the niche could be applied to explain media buying in competing lifestyle consumer magazine sub-classifications. A content analysis was conducted of four competing magazines published from 2001 to 2004 to determine the extent to which competing magazine sub-classifications rely on the same advertising resources to ensure continued survival. The levels of niche breadth and niche overlap were calculated for the competing magazines. The findings from this study, while not entirely consistent with the theory of the niche, provide a framework for the understanding of media buying changes and competition amongst competing magazine sub-classifications over time. The findings also indicate that more research into competing magazine sub-classifications could better determine the extent to which the theory of the niche could explain competition and coexistence on the sub-population level with media.