Michael Wolff Laments a Magazine Industry that is Dying of Self-Inflicted Wounds

DB Daily Update ^ | David Blackmon

[Boogieman]

“Every magazine I have ever worked for, and I have worked for them all, is dead or will die shortly...”

Oh, the tragedy. Almost as tragic as all the town criers who lost their jobs when the moveable-type printing press was invented.

[punknpuss]

I’ve not found one women’s magazine that isn’t pro-abortion and anti-trump. I still subscribe to Garden Gate magazine because it still offers useful information while avoiding nonsense about “climate change”. I don’t know how many of you receive magazines that you never ordered but we’ve gotten several at our home. They have to give them away in order to keep advertising revenues up.

[EC Washington]

We had been subscribers to Smithsonian for 30+ years. It was a great history magazine until the editors turned political. I have not paid for Smithsonian since 2016, but still receive the magazine every month. They must think it is better to give it away for free to keep their circulations numbers up.

[cuban leaf]

I can sum up their conundrum in one short sentence:

We are in a post Dan Rather era.

[Grampa Dave]

I have not paid for Smithsonian since 2016, but still receive the magazine every month. They must think it is better to give it away for free to keep their circulations numbers up.

Thanks. I have posted about the two dentists who art.e neighbors on our cul de sac and their mag subscriptions.

One retired about 15 years ago and still receives “free mags” at his home and delivered to his office without dentist.

The other still practices a few weeks and every mag known to man at both his office and home. His 40 something adult kids attended the local community college, and they still get “free”mags and the WSJ and other crud they got for free as students.

Both are lucky in that our garbage people provide for free the big blue trash container. They feel up one at their homes each week and at the office where the who still works a few days per week.

[rlmorel]

I can understand that.

I am filled with such contempt for nearly every single printed media I encounter that I tend to lump them in all together even though I shouldn’t.

[asinclair]

The main reason for magazines going down the drain is that the business model doesn't make sense anymore, in the Internet era. Magazines live and die on advertising. To have advertising, the magazine has to provide a compelling reason for advertisers to book ads in them. As readership drops, especially subscriber readers, the publication becomes less attractive.

It has very little to do with politics. (Yes, I know that a number of FReepers refuse to subscribe to certain publications because of their editorial content.) It has everything to do with eyeballs.

Before the Internet, magazines would pay writers to create content -- and the magazines would reward writers that attract readers with more articles. Usually, the editors would choose a demographic to target, and select articles which would attract members of that target demographic. A number of magazines had focused on very narrow targets, but flourished by getting a major share of the target market.

Publishers can then take those eyeballs and offer ad space to companies wanting to promote their products or ideas. (Think political ads for the latter.) With a narrow focus, publishers can provide a targeted audience to advertisers.

We had magazines because the start-up cost was significant, as was the running cost. It takes money to buy, or hire, a printing press. This puts an upper limit on the number of players in a particular target demographic.

The Internet has lowered the entry and running cost. Some electronic publications run on a shoestring. (Like FR.)

The same can be said for newspapers.

Both magazines and newspapers are being folded into publishing companies, and for the same reason: reduce the running costs. The Associated Press started this shrinkage with their telegraph wire service -- newspapers didn't have to hire staff to write national and regional stories.

And so it goes.

[USS Alaska]

[Hojczyk]

I think the news magazines are going first...

The women’s magazine’s seem to be doing alright....

[Grampa Dave]

That’s scary.

[JoeFromSidney]

I've subscribed to Aviation Week since 1955. It's still worth the money and the time to read. My heirs can cancel it when I die. Other than that, my only magazine subscriptions are a couple of science fiction magazines.

[packrat35]

30 years ago, I once had 19 subscriptions to various magazines. I now have 4 and when time comes to renew, it will go to 2.

Too damn many of them that are not supposed to be political have become increasing biased against Republicans, Conservatives, and gun owners. And this was before Trump. Trump Derangement Syndrome has killed off many a magazine to me forever.

[minnesota_bound]

Magazine stories are too much fluff. Look at the magazine rack and they mostly look alike too as there are only a handful of owners.
Also the font size is way to small. I need size 12 or greater. Having to use a magnifying glass and I will not buy the magazine.

[minnesota_bound]

#31 Air & Space is what I subscribe to along with Handyman and I buy Readers Digest at the store.

[Grampa Dave]

30 years ago, I once had 19 subscriptions to various magazines. I now have 4 and when time comes to renew, it will go to 2.

Too damn many of them that are not supposed to be political have become increasing biased against Republicans, Conservatives, and gun owners. And this was before Trump. Trump Derangement Syndrome has killed off many a magazine to me forever.

Our trend is not good for the left wing mags who hate our President and his 64 million deploreable.

[Grampa Dave]

My Granddad had a 8th grade education, and one that he added on to via the Smithsonian and National Geog..

Nat. Geog. was his way to see the world without leaving his reading chair in their family room. He loved the history that he got the Smithsonian.

Reader’s Digest Condensed Books were his other reading.