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Before we retired, we subscribed to over 30 magazines between us. We started eliminating them as the subscriptions ran out because it was a pain (and expense) to get them forwarded as we travel. Just like using an ATM is more convenient than getting/carrying travelers checks, and a cell phone beats the heck out of looking for a phone booth (remember those?).
Our world continues to change and the print media is being left behind. For many years, I contributed to several photographic magazines - now, that same info is available on-line and immediate. No 90 day lead times. People expect information NOW.
My Mother's generation had radio... we had television (with 2 channels)... now, you can have TV/video streamed to your phone. The days of the Brownie camera (with week-long waits to see photos) gave way to one hour processing, and now we have a generation that doesn't know anything but digital imaging (what's film?).
Things change. People expect on-line content to be (mostly) free. Anyone can post anything. When "breaking news" can be seen unfolding on your phone or tablet, the daily newspaper is "old news." Thus, their demise.
When I was in the hunt to find a literary agent to get a book published, I found an industry that was struggling... eBooks are gaining on the traditional publishing industry. It makes sense: less expense, less use of resources, immediate publication, very little "up front" costs. The main lesson I learned through that journey was that content was less important than track record: if it sells, the next one can get published. Magazines/publications today are selling less. Fewer readers means fewer advertisers, which makes for a "thinner" publication, which leads to fewer readers, which... well, you know. People with a product to sell can do so on-line... and can track how many are viewing.
I love to read. I don't think the current young people, as a whole, no longer read - they just get their content in a different form. In the past month, I have read two magazines that were lent to me by a co-worker (first actual magazines I've read in a while)... but, I do read a couple hours a day when I can. Almost all of it via computer or tablet.
One of my favorite magazines, "Latitudes & Attitudes", has gone through many changes - they were one of the first to launch an "on-line version." For years, they have promoted themselves as "for cruisers, by cruisers"... but they also know that the bulk of people who are buying their magazine (or buying on-line content) are not cruisers, but are the many who "have the dream." They had reviews of old boats while the glossy "mainstream" boat magazines ran articles on the gold-platers... they were able to promote themselves as "we're one of you." Irreverent, but the advertisers go where the numbers are, and this publication was growing while others diminished. When they allowed free downloading of their on-line version, many in the publishing industry thought that move was insane. Advertisers stayed around, because people were reading the magazine.
http://www.seafaring.com/magazine/thisIssue/
The business model of publishing is changing (and has to in order to survive). People will still read, it's just a matter of how you get the content to them... in e-form, they can click on a link and go right to an advertiser's web page. Another click, and they are in a discussion forum. Hard to do that with ink and paper.
Who needs a town-crier when you can get a printed newspaper? Who needs a newspaper when you can get immediate news on TV? Who needs TV when you can get that same news and the entire internet on your phone? This summer, I have seen WAY more people taking photographs with their phones, in place of a camera. I find the image quality of even my smallest pocket camera to be much better than any phone camera... but, most people have their phone on their person all the time.
My smart phone died last week, and my first thought was: "All my content and apps - I need those!" I have several books on my phone at any given time. Reading on the phone? Really? Hey, Bill & El navigate by phone these days - it's a different world.
Printed magazines are having a tough time competing with connected content. Understandable. My dear ol' Mother passed away at age 90 earlier this year... she was a voracious reader. Never owned a computer, had a heck of time trying to learn a new TV remote. I handed her an iPad with a book on it; took about 10 seconds to show her how to "turn the page." She was immediately into "the story" and not concerned about the physical form. When I showed her that she could switch from a book to a magazine to a PDF file (she had no idea what that was), she asked, "How do you get a book in here?"
"It takes about 60 seconds to download it."
She thought about that for a few seconds, said, "I think I would miss looking at all the book covers," and went back to reading.
Yep, a different world.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Oh, and some of us still write.
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