A recent article in The New York Observer (No Shelter in a Storm! As Economy Quakes, Home Mags Teeter) started me thinking about a subject that has been on my mind for quite some time. Are magazines becoming obsolete? With the increasing number of blogs, online magazines and the recent economic downturn we seem to be witnessing the irreversible and inevitable death of many magazines.
Personally I DO NOT want to see my favorite shelter magazines fall by the wayside! So my question is this: is it possible to have both a vibrant blogosphere and our beloved magazines? Can the magazine industry make financial ends meet? What more can be done in order for magazines to survive?
For the past several months I have been feverishly researching blogging trends. Primarily I have looked at how magazines, advertisers and bloggers can work together to promote a stronger readership while building a community of individuals who share a similar interest. Likewise, I have argued that many of the shelter magazines can, and should, create mutually beneficial relationships within the blogging world.
I do not see this as an 'us' versus 'them' issue. Several magazines have taken steps in this direction, but many have skirted the issue or failed to clearly see the potential. It's not enough for a magazine to have merely a 'web' presence. In my opinion, this is not a smart move, as it seems that the balance of power and influence is tipping, noticeably, to the Web.
Why is the balance tipping? First and foremost, it is a very personal means of interacting, communicating and receiving feedback. Most importantly blogs allow for active, not passive, readership. Another huge bonus is that blog content is instantaneous and, quite frankly, it is cheap! Not just in terms of cost to produce, but advertising as well. This is NOT an argument to do away with magazines. For me, nothing can replace my glossy magazines. I am merely stating a few well-known facts.
Do I believe that blogs have a greater advantage over magazines? Not necessarily. Nor do I believe the sky is falling on all magazines. The smart ones will find a way to reach out and weather the storm. I would love to hear your thoughts on the issue and if there are any interested parties, I am more than happy to share my thoughts and research.
