Magazines as we knew and loved them, are largely another thing of the past. I was in a large bookstore recently, and took at look at the magazines on offer. There are a handful of the old reliables, Rolling Stone, Time, Newsweek, but they are a shadow of their glory days. The weeklies are poorly printed on the cheapest of paper, monthlies a little better, but often thin and flimsy. Advertising is way off from what it was 25 years ago.
And many of the standards are gone, Popular Photography, Flying, Gourmet, and many others.
Yes there are a lot of offerings, but looking closely most are "special editions." Really soft cover books, or Zines. With focussed topics, they are aimed at an entirely different audience than the journals of yesteryear. The venerable National Geographic Society announced this past year eliminating the last of their staff photographer/reporter positions. Everything they publish will be produced by freelancers. 50 years ago when I was finishing school, the dream job for a young photographer was NGS, they would hand you an American Express card, a bag full of Nikons and free you to send in the most amazing stories from around the globe. Having that financial backing allowed their journalists to spend weeks, months, sometimes years telling the story of the world.
This is a market driven change. Advertising dollars have moved to targeted online marketing. Printing and distribution costs have risen faster than revenues, leading to cost cutting. Journalism has changed, with the 24 hour instant new cycle. Back in the late 1960's my mother worked for a local newspaper, all of their costs were covered by income from classified ads. Classified advertising has entirely disappeared. Display advertising has been replaced by targeted ads. (That are not always well targeted, why does Macys send me advertisement for women's clothing? A waste of electrons.)
So what do we have in place of it? Websites, Blogs and social media. Random Rambles and my Saturday Morning Posts. What is lacking is often old school journalistic ethics.
I used subscribe to a number of magazines and would always pick up something different at airports when I traveled. I can’t remember the last time I held a magazine in my hand.
ReplyDeleteI have two that come in six times a year now, plus a bar journal.
DeleteIt is absolutely amazing how the internet/digital age has changed so much in our daily lives.
ReplyDeleteAnd so fast, in less than half a lifetime.
DeleteWe get Out magazine every month; we have never subscribed to it, don't subscribe now, and never get a bill for it, but it comes once a month and I enjoy reading it.
ReplyDeleteI subscribed once, and it keeps coming and coming.
DeleteI haven't bought a magazine in years, for two reasons -- (1) difficulty seeing the small print (for me) and (2) their enormous cost compared to the value of the content. Computer and internet are better for me simply because I can adjust font size upwards.
ReplyDeleteA big advantage of e-print.
DeleteNonesense! I think your Saturday Morning Posts are very ethical. 😘
ReplyDeleteI don't always verify my sources.
DeleteThe only magazine that comes into the house now is the New Yorker as my son subscribes.
ReplyDeleteOne of the survivors
DeleteOh my...National Geographic. When we cleaned out my mom's house to sell, she had so many shelves filled with those golden magazines. I called so many places to donate them and no one wanted them. That was such a marvelous magazine with its stories and photographs and such a pity to take them to the recycling center. I so enjoy your Saturday Morning Posts!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I do enjoy writing these posts.
DeleteWow, I did not know that about National Geographic. There is a National Geographic Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach California that I've been to many times. They sell some of the most amazing photos taken by their staff photographers. I wonder if those photographers own the rights to their photos.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who was a reported for one of the weekly news magazines, and he retained the rights, his library is a couple million images.
DeleteI can remember I place in Lemoyne here, The News Center, that had two whole aisles of magazines!!!!! Like this pictured. They also had cards, stationery, and gift items. They shuttered in 2001. Can't tell you last time I looked at a magazine. And if you do come across a section of magazines, it's next to nothing offered.
ReplyDeleteI miss them
DeleteI was going to buy mad magazine. It was almost $20.
ReplyDeleteIn my senior year of high school, in civic we use time magazine for our class.
Yes, the prices have gotten very high
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