Information

[Keling]

It's funny, because this downturn with the printed media actually started quite a while ago - long before the current recession. I've been working in newspapers and magazines for 10 years now (it's really weird to say that). The Bermuda Sun, where I started out as a rookie reporter, started doing some major studies and research into the Bermudian community through surveys and the like, about 8 years ago, because of a downturn in advertising and copy sales.

Today, you can receive hard news instantly, directly to your phone, so what's the point of reading the newspaper when you heard about everything the day before. That's why you'll see a lot of newspapers turning "tabloid" - printing human interest stories, and the like, with only bits of hard news thrown in. The focus is on big pictures and captions, with shorter stories. It's the pictures that pull people in, and if you're lucky, they'll read the caption. It's only if you've got that really WOW picture and compelling caption and headline that you'll get the person to read the story.

The same goes with advertising - forget about ads with lots of words in it. It needs to be bold and graphically pleasing in order to compete with the news photos, otherwise they'll be bi-passed.

The newspapers here in the UK are almost all "tabloid" these days. Forget about reading real news in them... The only papers I read nowadays are our city (Wakefield) and town (Hemsworth) weekly papers.

Magazines are getting it harder because it is so much more expensive to produce a glossy magazine than a newspaper. Newspaper is dirt cheap. And in order to make it worthwhile to even bother printing one, it really needs to have X number of pages (usually a multiple of 4 or 16), otherwise it looks completely stupid.

Magazines also tend to get information out at an even slower pace than newspapers. If something happens, by the time most magazines are printed, it'll be up to a month too late. Also, most magazines work up 3 to 6 months ahead. Why bother advertising, when you can get the word out instantly via Facebook or Twitter?

Finally, when times get tough for a business, usually the first thing cut from the monthly budget is advertising. Unless a business is SURE that a certain advertising arena is really working (through coupons, or saying you heard the ad on a specific radio station), the can't usually quantify the true value of advertising. Unfortunately, the less you advertise, the more easily you are forgotten in this day and age, and thus the more likely of having to close up shop.

I've done advertising for a lot of non-profit and Christian groups, and I always start at the ground level by using the "free" options that are actually available, such as press releases, getting on radio talk shows, using community calendars, and even posters in stores.

[kelleylo]

Advertising dollars. I work in the industry, and the manufacturer's are not advertising as much as they used to to support the magazines.

[JulieM]

Very interesting, everyone. I appreciate your expertise, input and opinions too. Technology has caused for changes to come fast and change is hard for people. We need time to adjust and technology does not allow for that time.

MamaK..... I write for Scrapbook Dimensions and Artisan Notebook. I write about photo techniques with photoshop for both magazines. I can't write about the same thing so I'm always looking for new ideas!

[killarney_rose]

I too, have found this thread to be an enlightening. Especially from those who are working in print media. I do know this from the Advertising course in college and having an Ag Economics degree. Cutting advertising dollars is probably the last thing one needs to cut in business through a recession, although many do. We are a society of instant gratification, so cutting advertising causes one to quickly forget a company. Some advertising is so GREAT it stays in our minds forever. I enjoy the ads a great deal in the one scrapbooking magazine as I have to do the advertising for our ranch. The recent thread showing Basic Grey June Bug shows how other parts of our life are such a big influence on the papers we have available. We have had to cut our advertising to zero. Our transportation business is so slow we are making it so to speak. I have gotten permission from DH to get our brand as we have a Santa Gertrudis show heifer going out on a lease in Dec. to a child for showing. The brand will be our best advertising we have as she enters the ring at each show she is entered in. We can't afford not to have the brand any more. It is also a real need when it comes to cattle being stolen and there are a large number who are right now.

I agree technology is moving at lightning speed and at times is hard to accept. I know like the rest of you I would hate to not be able to curl up with my magazine or good book or even the Groesbeck Journal (weekly) newspaper. The Groesbeck Journal is the very best newspaper in the world to me. It brings my world in Limestone County, Texas closer then it would by word of mouth or telephone call or a text message. And yes on some days I love to pick up USA Today for the editorials.

[anazelia]

I'm sad about the magazines! I just picked up an issue of Making Memories and was shocked to see that it's their last one. That leaves me only CK and Scrapbooks ETC. Personally, I prefer lounging on my couch with a paper magazine. I spend enough time on my computer as it is!!


Do you think CK will hang in there??

Me too. I love getting my new magazines and sitting on my porch swing reading while my girls play. I got the last MM issue yesterday and I didn't even think it was that good. I hated the whole DIY wedding. WTH??

i hope CK and Scrapbooks ETC stick around.

[SBcrazee]

I only get one scrappy magazine and wonder if I am even going to renew that one....not sure it is worth the money anymore...it is very true that you can learn somuch from the computer and i learn so much from my scrappy girlfriends...


What is this kindle that many of you have mentioned??

Kindle is an electronic device that lets you download books & read them off the electronic device rather than a hardcopy book. You can find them at amazon. It's light weight, can store many books & very clear making it easy to read anytime & anywhere.

[bigsmartass]

I haven't read the replies... but my 2 cents...


I love having a magazine to flip through! Yes, I love going online and looking through the galleries, but I love having a magazine I can take with me to dr's appointments (with two boys I go to enough of them lol), to the playground, a relaxing bath, etc. It's nice to have have something to hold to thumb through occationally too.



I'm not anti digital either, I love the laptop, hubby has a Kindle 2 that I love as well... but I still like to buy the magazines (just bought two yesterday...).

[Sandi770]

I actually like looking at even the ads in paper mags - and the new products - yum!