December
23rd 2008
Posted under Conservatism & Media
The Web and the economy have not been good to magazines.
There is even a website dedicated to chronicling their demise.
What is likely to be hurt the most are the extreme niche magazines and there will be consolidation among magazines with broader appeal. What does this mean for magazines like The American Conservative and Chronicles that many of us paleos like reading? Such magazines have never broken even and have always relied on patronage from benefactors. So I guess it will depend on whether the donations continue to roll in.
roho on 23 Dec 2008 at 10:47 pm #
Filmer…………… I worked in “Print Media” for years, for the 5th Largest Publication in America, positioned directly behind “Readers Digest”.(Tabloids are the largest.)…..Being in advertising sales, I was astonished in the ninties how these mega-magazines could “Bleed” money, as a result of INIFICIENCY, yet make astronomical profits? Coming from organizations and industries that were efficient, and managed by brilliant marketeers, and master salesmen, I was blown away at the idiots in print that perceived themselves to be leaders? My best friend, who is still with the company is now horrified of his future?……….Our conversations in the ninties were mostly, “How can these people be so stupid, and yet make sooooooooooo much profit?” (Printing presses are dirt cheap on LONG RUNS.)
But, the chickens have come home to roost. And even the Newspapers are dieing. The Internet gives us “Target Selection” which means that I don’t have to pay for unintresting print to get what I actually want. Next, will be the Cable TV industry, as people get sick of paying for 79 channels of garbage to simply get the 4 channels that they enjoy! So, what is the future?…….INTERNET TV!
Imagine watching only what your intrested in, via the internet? But, it too will be great untill you have to wait for “It’s so easy that a caveman can do it crap”, before you can continue.
By that time, the internet will be controlled by “Leviathan”, and you will need to speak a foreign language(Latvia?) because they still have a free press?…………At that stage, your a serf and have accepted it anyway.
Weaver on 23 Dec 2008 at 11:11 pm #
Roho,
it might only be a matter of time before some group captures the Internet and makes users into yet another captive audience.
There’s no profit in real competition, but there’s plenty of profit in gouging a captive audience.
Though that said, conservatives shouldn’t want entertainment to be on the free market. Entertainment should be encouraging of virtue, that is assuming there’s a culture to define virtue… Virtue can’t compete with vice directly – vice is too much fun, in the short run.
roho on 24 Dec 2008 at 2:17 am #
Your most likely right Weaver……I expect the Internet to evolve into “Each Nations” personal propaganda machine and helping control the citizen that has not totally been re-programed.
Just as “Truman” was monitered in the “Truman Show”, each citizen will receive their very own medicine to help their thinking process.
Bede on 24 Dec 2008 at 8:49 pm #
Yea, I don’t have a whole lot of money to give, but I always try to give at least a little money to my favorite print publications.
What Roho says is correct. I don’t remember the exact statistic, but my local newspaper has lost a considerable amount of its advertising revenue. Its former clients now advertise on the internet, etc., but have given up on print.
Frank Griglonis on 28 Dec 2008 at 5:55 am #
most of the rags, especially the daily ones,
are too expensive, and their content is too
full of drivel to make them a worthwhile expenditure, the same goes for cable tv…
i just use the internet, libraries, buy used
movies, books, and give the few bucks i save
to my favorite causes which often give me
free internet subscribtions to a considerable wealth of trade, cultural, economic, and political information)…why continue to feed the beast at this juncture ???
Sean Scallon on 29 Dec 2008 at 6:37 pm #
As with all print publications, funding is dependent on the people willing to spend (and in most cases) lose money on them. Be sure to thank Taki when you get the chance for being “our” sugar daddy.