Comments on: Now whither magazines? http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/ by Jeff Jarvis Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:53:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ed Rust http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17889 Ed Rust Sun, 11 Dec 2005 20:25:44 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17889 I've recently cobbled together a new Web site (www.magsampler.com) that attempts to use the net to promote the smaller and independent magazines by offering current and recent sample copies of hundreds of them (340 at last count and growing fast) by mail for the low price of $2.59 each. It's a way for magazines lacking universal newsstand presence (affordable only to the most mass of mass magazines these days) to get actual copies into the hands of prospective subscribers. We also offer links to the home pages of each of these magazines. I’ve recently cobbled together a new Web site (www.magsampler.com) that attempts to use the net to promote the smaller and independent magazines by offering current and recent sample copies of hundreds of them (340 at last count and growing fast) by mail for the low price of $2.59 each. It’s a way for magazines lacking universal newsstand presence (affordable only to the most mass of mass magazines these days) to get actual copies into the hands of prospective subscribers. We also offer links to the home pages of each of these magazines.

]]> By: Ted Shelton http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17391 Ted Shelton Thu, 08 Dec 2005 06:21:25 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17391 Question for your panel --> How can magazines promote, rather than fight against, journalists building a more direct and personal relationship with their readers? Question for your panel –> How can magazines promote, rather than fight against, journalists building a more direct and personal relationship with their readers?

]]> By: Dimitar Vesselinov http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17377 Dimitar Vesselinov Thu, 08 Dec 2005 03:40:46 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17377 My Dream Media Team President: Richard Branson CEO: John Battelle COO: Jason Calacanis CEB (chief executive blogger): Robert Scoble CTO/CIO: Max Levchin CSA (chief software architect): Mark Canter Editor-in-chief: Chris Anderson Chief customer representative: Craig Newmark Pundit: Jeff Jarvis Pundit: Susan Mernit Pundit: Steve Gillmor Pundit: Dana Blankenhorn Editor: Dan Gillmor Editor: Tom Foremski Analyst: Rafat Ali Content development: Marshall Brain Marketing: Seth Godin PR: Steve Rubel Business development: Michael Arrington Search: Philipp Lenssen Podcasting: Doug Kaye Podcasting: John Furrier Telecoms: Om Malik Blogs: Dave Sifry Europe: Loic Le Meur China: Jack Ma CSO: John Robb VC: Fred Wilson Mobile: Oliver Starr http://divedi.blogspot.com/2005/12/my-dream-media-team.html My Dream Media Team

President: Richard Branson
CEO: John Battelle
COO: Jason Calacanis
CEB (chief executive blogger): Robert Scoble
CTO/CIO: Max Levchin
CSA (chief software architect): Mark Canter
Editor-in-chief: Chris Anderson
Chief customer representative: Craig Newmark
Pundit: Jeff Jarvis
Pundit: Susan Mernit
Pundit: Steve Gillmor
Pundit: Dana Blankenhorn
Editor: Dan Gillmor
Editor: Tom Foremski
Analyst: Rafat Ali
Content development: Marshall Brain
Marketing: Seth Godin
PR: Steve Rubel
Business development: Michael Arrington
Search: Philipp Lenssen
Podcasting: Doug Kaye
Podcasting: John Furrier
Telecoms: Om Malik
Blogs: Dave Sifry
Europe: Loic Le Meur
China: Jack Ma
CSO: John Robb
VC: Fred Wilson
Mobile: Oliver Starr

http://divedi.blogspot.com/2005/12/my-dream-media-team.html

]]> By: Dimitar Vesselinov http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17325 Dimitar Vesselinov Wed, 07 Dec 2005 18:57:24 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17325 When will they retire? New blood is needed...Young and aggressive executives...Where is the new Rupert Murdoch? When will they retire? New blood is needed…Young and aggressive executives…Where is the new Rupert Murdoch?

]]> By: Jeff Jarvis http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17275 Jeff Jarvis Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:18:03 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17275 Lisa: I think you're right. Stronger brand? Stronger relationship? Less of a commodity? Lisa: I think you’re right. Stronger brand? Stronger relationship? Less of a commodity?

]]> By: Lisa Williams http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17272 Lisa Williams Wed, 07 Dec 2005 13:57:08 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17272 I have to say, magazines have fared a lot better with me than newspapers have. I have a bunch of magazine subscriptions: MAKE, Scientific American, the New Yorker, the Nation, The Economist, the New Yorker, Dirt Rag (a mag about mountain biking and cyclocross) PSM and, yes, Nintendo Power!. The long articles featured in these mags are ones I'd print out if they were online anyway, and in the print version, there are often great photos. Plus the magazine isn't a handful of loose pages and can be easily stowed in a bag without worrying about the pages getting everywhere. I really love the Letters to the Editor section of almost every periodical, newspaper or magazine, and I think they should be featured more prominently in their online version. I think the idea of adding a comment section to the online version of the Letters to the Editor, as they do at the Greensboro News & Record, is genius. I have to say, magazines have fared a lot better with me than newspapers have. I have a bunch of magazine subscriptions: MAKE, Scientific American, the New Yorker, the Nation, The Economist, the New Yorker, Dirt Rag (a mag about mountain biking and cyclocross) PSM and, yes, Nintendo Power!. The long articles featured in these mags are ones I’d print out if they were online anyway, and in the print version, there are often great photos. Plus the magazine isn’t a handful of loose pages and can be easily stowed in a bag without worrying about the pages getting everywhere.

I really love the Letters to the Editor section of almost every periodical, newspaper or magazine, and I think they should be featured more prominently in their online version. I think the idea of adding a comment section to the online version of the Letters to the Editor, as they do at the Greensboro News & Record, is genius.

]]> By: Alan Kellogg http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17248 Alan Kellogg Wed, 07 Dec 2005 07:00:25 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17248 I can think of a few places where print has a big advantage over digital. The bath for one. But, that aint gonna hold true forever. New types of display such as electronic 'paper' will make it a lot easier to haul documents around. One might have a 'book' that holds hundreds of volumes. Said book having a total of 100 physical pages, when you reach page 100 you'd flip back to the beginning and find what had once been page 1 is now page 101. With further advances in the technology you could have animated art, and even interactive books. Such as, say, a book of Winnie the Pooh stories where the illustrations follow along as you read to your kids, and comment on the action. Some years back, when I first heard about 'electronic paper' I had an idea for using it when playing RPGs. Each player would have his own 'screen'. The left side would have a display of what his character sees. The right side would display the character's statistics. The GM (Game Moderator) would have a larger screen displaying the overall situation along with other stuff. All this linked over a wireless network to the the GM's computer, or perhaps the house server. The 'screen' would also have rule and descriptive/background information for the RPG in question. If one is not into flipping pages this format could be used for non-RPG works. Before I forget, there are a number of on-line RPG magazines. <a href="http://www.sjgames.com" rel="nofollow">Steve Jackson Games</a> has two. Both offer archives of past content. Then there are free e-zines in PDF. <a href="http://www.mongoosepublishing.com" rel="nofollow">Mongoose Publishing</a> of Britain recently switched to that format. So as time passes and the technology becomes available expect the reading experience to go through some drastic changes. I can think of a few places where print has a big advantage over digital. The bath for one.

But, that aint gonna hold true forever. New types of display such as electronic ‘paper’ will make it a lot easier to haul documents around. One might have a ‘book’ that holds hundreds of volumes. Said book having a total of 100 physical pages, when you reach page 100 you’d flip back to the beginning and find what had once been page 1 is now page 101.

With further advances in the technology you could have animated art, and even interactive books. Such as, say, a book of Winnie the Pooh stories where the illustrations follow along as you read to your kids, and comment on the action.

Some years back, when I first heard about ‘electronic paper’ I had an idea for using it when playing RPGs. Each player would have his own ’screen’. The left side would have a display of what his character sees. The right side would display the character’s statistics. The GM (Game Moderator) would have a larger screen displaying the overall situation along with other stuff. All this linked over a wireless network to the the GM’s computer, or perhaps the house server. The ’screen’ would also have rule and descriptive/background information for the RPG in question. If one is not into flipping pages this format could be used for non-RPG works.

Before I forget, there are a number of on-line RPG magazines. Steve Jackson Games has two. Both offer archives of past content. Then there are free e-zines in PDF. Mongoose Publishing of Britain recently switched to that format.

So as time passes and the technology becomes available expect the reading experience to go through some drastic changes.

]]> By: Marina Architect http://www.buzzmachine.com/2005/12/07/now-whither-magazines/#comment-17236 Marina Architect Wed, 07 Dec 2005 04:28:52 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=863#comment-17236 Vonage is the best case study. Having spent hundreds of millions on advertising, I would speculate they have no brand equity only utility to inspire loyalty. I would speculate all the dialogue at your meeting will turn into the usual "it's an opportunity for us . . . " I'm a Google supporter but everyone is overestimating them. Smaller startups can easily outmaneuver Google on superior service offerings. Google's last few releases have been me-too offerings. Put your nose out where the startups are. Open source has changed the dynamic of service offerings in networked space. VC urgency is over, take your time and focus on selling your service above or at cost. In addition, you are missing the point of Google being a brand killer. Google is an enabler. Google only dilutes brands that are stale. It raises the competitive stakes in a good way. It is not deleterious as you point out. Vonage is the best case study. Having spent hundreds of millions on advertising, I would speculate they have no brand equity only utility to inspire loyalty.

I would speculate all the dialogue at your meeting will turn into the usual “it’s an opportunity for us . . . ”

I’m a Google supporter but everyone is overestimating them. Smaller startups can easily outmaneuver Google on superior service offerings. Google’s last few releases have been me-too offerings.

Put your nose out where the startups are. Open source has changed the dynamic of service offerings in networked space. VC urgency is over, take your time and focus on selling your service above or at cost.

In addition, you are missing the point of Google being a brand killer. Google is an enabler. Google only dilutes brands that are stale. It raises the competitive stakes in a good way. It is not deleterious as you point out.

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