magazines | The end.

May 27, 2009

Newspapers should be called what they really are — magazines.

Filed under: magazines, newspapers — admin @ 11:58 am

The news now lives on the web. It’s the perfect habitat. It’s available 24/7. And instant access suits it’s personality perfectly.

Besides, there’s nothing older than old news. By the time it’s printed it’s decaying.

Over the past decade, or even longer, newspapers have gradually become daily magazines. They’re not purchased, online or off, for their out-of-date news, but as a form of news entertainment.

We go to ‘newspapers,’ for opinions, analysis, and commentary. Just like magazines. They cover lifestyle, and sports, and other general fare for their readers.

Each section of the NYTimes, and other papers, is a form of weekly magazine publishing. Tuesday is for technology, Thursday is for homes & gardens, etc.

Besides, Twitter is now breaking news before journalists get it written and posted to their sites.

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March 7, 2009

Old media suffering from self inflicted wounds?

Filed under: advertising, economy, magazines, newspapers — admin @ 10:42 am

Everyone I talk to seems to think that the news media, especially the old news media, has helped push the economy off the cliff by fear mongering. In this environment of rejuvenating business models and technological media, it’s a dangerous practice.

The Wall Street Journal’s — ‘How Democracy Ruined the Bailout’ – seems to think that the combination of news media and the politics of our election added more fuel to a delicate economic crisis.

The old print media, usually the goto source for info and expertise, has become the victim of their current business model of paid subscriptions and advertising. The recession, which they may have encouraged, has caused people to stop spending on the non-essentials — newspspers and magazines. And has driven them to discover great free, online sources.

Mike Elgan has a great insight and solution. And it has a long tail. He says that local newspspers should focus on making local news global. Local papers should forget about competing with global, national, statewide news coverage which many of them still carry. Their subject is local but the audience is global. Plus they have bigger brands that they could leverage unlike bloggers who have been doing this for a while.

The New York Times may have figured that out already. Well, at least they keep trying new stuff.

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September 25, 2008

Paper or plastic?

Filed under: magazines, newspapers, publishers — Tags: books, kindle, newspapers, paper, plastic, sony, YouTube — admin @ 8:07 am

Soon you’ll have to choose. As digits continue their march into our lives, some of them are going to feel much more like the old paper media. And paper does have it’s advantages.

We’re familiar with Kindle and the other new media readers, but now plastic is getting even closer to paper. Check out these videos on the future of paper. Thank you YouTube. Don’t miss the last one in this posting.

Here’s CNET.com’s take on the Kindle

This is a prototype from PlasticLogic:

September 22, 2008

New endings noticed.

Filed under: magazines, publishers — Tags: books, magazines, print — admin @ 3:44 pm

Boris Kachka probes the ailing publishing business model in an in-depth New York Magazine article titled, of all things, ‘The End.’

The situation seems to be that writers no longer have a problem reaching an audience. And the audience has so many new options other than books. Which means that the publishers, and their chosen authors, aren’t making as much money these days.

Then there’s Magnus Berger, a graphic designer at Baron & Baron, who is publishing ‘The Last Magazine.’ Funny how the website and blog came first. But then the magazine does need to acquire an audience. It’s to arrive somewhere, biannually.

The Last Magazine

Fabien Baron is a very talented designer, who gained fame for his magazine design. There is only one Baron. However, some call the firm Baron & Baron & Baron & Baron & Baron & Baron.

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