No More Magazines
After reading several articles today about the demise of magazines as a medium for Games, I’ve decided to come to a decision on my usage of magazines, as a whole.
Bit-tech’s Joe Martin wrote Games magazines on their way out, which prompted me to scour my RSS feeds for similar articles. Sure enough, Digg picked up a story about the Games For Windows magazine ceasing print and going 100% online (which you can read more about from the Editor himself).
It’s something I’ve wondered for a while now - how much longer will the magazine last in this digital era? The internet has become one of (if not) the most popular sources of news and articles for many people. I spend far longer these days reading through RSS feeds and various technology news sites to get my fix of information.
However, at this point in time, the demise of magazines might only be limited to a few genres:
- Computers and Technology
- Auto
- Games
- Pornography
I had to throw the last one in there, to enhance the debate!
Let’s start with Computers and Technology - I’ve purchased Custom PC since issue one (with a year as a subscriber) and have noticed their online presence has evolved substantially over the past 12 months, with a site re-design and new features, including staff and community blogs. I’m only guessing here, but surely the growth of their site is due to a drop in magazine sales - or at least a realisation that the internet is becoming the dominant medium. And the reason for this? How many times, in the past few years, have you read a news piece within a magazine, that you’ve not already heard about online?
Auto - perhaps not as obvious as the others here, but Simon made a very good point yesterday, whilst reading this month’s copy of Top Gear magazine - it’s full of adverts. Sure, advertisements have been a staple part of a magazine’s diet, but they now far outweigh articles. Again, this could be due to the rise of the internet and the decline of monthly readers. The Top Gear website is full of great content too, including video clips of previous episodes - which suggests they’re ensuring that if the magazine does go, it will still be left with a great site for its readers.
Games - the genre that kick-started this article. Gamers want news on future releases as soon as possible. They want demos as quick as possible and they may want video clips too. All of this is possible with a magazine, but can be delivered instantly over the internet, especially with the rise of online connectivity with games consoles. Take Grand Theft Auto IV as an example - I (and some of you) have been religiously following the updates from Rockstar’s official site, to keep me occupied on the run-up to release. With previous GTA’s, there were official sites, but none as content rich as the latest. And yet, I’ve not purchased a single Games magazine to read about it all.
Pornography - I guess there will always be a market for the magazines, as many American truckers don’t have internet access en-route. But many would argue - why pay for it when it’s available online for free? The internet’s growth and popularity is often said to be due to pornography.
Don’t forget, I’m only speculating here - though I see magazines being a very niche medium within 5 years. Anneka pointed out that she would still continue to read ‘Pick Me Up‘ held in her hands, rather then viewed on the internet. But, I don’t see many people reading about the latest games or technology in a magazine.
Will we see many more Games magazines switch to solely online delivery? Will there be an influx of magazine journalists to the internet, as Joe mentions?
To do my bit, I’ve decided to completely give up on magazines. Don’t take this the wrong way though - I’m trying to speed up the decline of magazines, just end my addiction with them. I’ve purchased copies of Top Gear, Max Power, Fast Car, PC Pro, Custom PC, Official [console] magazine, MBUK, .NET along with many others over the years. The content of all of these hasn’t suffered, in terms of quality - just quantity.
Whilst browsing the aforementioned sites for these magazines, I’ve noticed that Future Publishing have amalgamated their bike magazines into the one site. According to an old article (2001), they briefly suspended some of their sites, whilst cut backs took place. This suggests that magazines have been forced to re-consider their operations for a good few years now, with the rise of the internet.
From this day forward (14th April 2008), I plan to:
- Never purchase another magazine
- Rely solely on the internet for news and articles
- Save money by completing 1.
- Read books to fill the void that would have previously required a magazine
The last point (4.) is the most important, as I have a growing collection of books that friends and family (and I) have purchased for me recently. There’s 3 or so Bill Bryson books, a few autobiographies (Richard Hammond, Chris Moyles’ 2nd) and a handful of Jeremy Clarkson’s to get through. If I carry on with the magazine reading, I’ll end up never getting the time to sit down and read the books.
Currently, I purchase around 4 magazines a month, all of which are around the £4.99 mark. That equates to £259.48 a year! If I don’t buy another magazine, but instead read one of the many books I have lying around, I could better spend the money on something useful, that I’d read about online. Any time I would normally grab a magazine to occupy me (bed time, train journey, sofa, holiday), I’ll reach for the paperback. Besides, books tend to be a lot cheaper word-per-£ these days, compared to a magazine.
The few magazines that I still have lying around will make their way to the recycling bin - including the issues I’ve kept for nostalgia, like a 1996 edition of AutoCar, which unveils the McLaren F1; or a 1999 edition of Top Gear, with an article on the R34 Skyline.
Lastly, if I stop buying magazines I’ll be doing my bit for the environment - after all, I’ve probably read through a forest in the past 10 years.
Let me know if you still read magazines; if you’ve never read them; or if you’ll never stop reading them…
April 14th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I am still very sceptical of this…only time will tell as I believe when we go shopping next or perhaps not straight away but one day you will find yourself picking up a magazine!
Although I guess we do always point out that around £10-15 of our normal 2-3 weekly shop amounts to magazines and books and the odd dvd so I think it is definately a good idea. I also think that once you are a Daddy you will have less time to read a magazine as you will be an expert at reading bed time stories instead (not quite sure Lily will appreciate being read extracts from Top Gear magazine or Custom PC online!)
I say never say never as what happens if we go on holiday or something and you want to have a good read and can’t get on the internet? Remember Botswana??? What we would have given for another magazine or book!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I love to read mags whilst on the toilet; nothing better to pass the time and solids!
If you are traveling the magazine is great to pick up and read over and over again, but at home there is the internet. I would say one thing, that I can see web sites in the future charging to subscribe to the online mag more and more.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:41 am
haha its true and I wont read them after you’ve used and abused them. ^^
Personally I don’t like to sit in my own stench and read, for me its shit and go.
Like Si says its a good thing is you are camping or summut and can read a mag.
I also like free dvd’s from off the front.
I get top gear but thats only because my mum wants to spend her tesco points so uses them on mag subscriptions. I only read the odd article and look at the pictuers anyway!
If there were no mags what would I look at when Tamsin is roaming around WHsmith.
April 15th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I’ll be reading books, when previously I would have read a magazine. However, I’ve never seen the need to read whilst on the toilet. I tried it once and had finished before I even found something interesting to read - probably wading through all the adverts!
The free DVD on this month’s Top Gear was great - even Anneka laughed at the Robin Reliant Rocket bursting into a ball of flames.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Well after spending 5 hours on a train today I can say that magazines still have a use for me if only to find out that Reg Holdsworth likes cans of mushroom soup from Poundland in Lincoln!
April 15th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Aye u must be seriously constipated Simon haha
Ive been trying to read this book for 2 years. I don’t know what it is about books I think i just hate the sitting still part. I like reading em i just cant be fooked.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Prior to finishing Uni, I had only read a grand total of 5 books (rough estimate). Since finishing, I’ve doubled that. Sure, it’s nothing to shout about, but I finally see the fascination with them. Part of the reason for giving up magazines, is to concentrate on books…
April 16th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
seirously im still on the 1st book since uni, saying that it was a huuuge book. I think I should have started on something smaller. Or if a picture = 1000 words well im fooking sorted
April 17th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
What book are you reading Adamskii? I’m currently about 3/4 of the way through this.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:46 am
oh yeah i got a new book, and i assure you i WILL get through it!
http://www.amazon.com/BORAT-Touristic-Guidings-Glorious-Kazakhstan/dp/0385523467
piss funny
April 19th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Woo! I almost bought that a while back, when in ASDA. The last book I purchased was The Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2008. Though I read through it the same evening. It has a 2 page-spread on Star Wars Galaxies!
April 19th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
What was it in there for? Record for cocking up the mmorpg with the biggest potential?
April 20th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Good point! Largest Creature; First Virtual Memorial; First Jedi; Longest-lasting player corpse; Largest player ship; Largest PvP zone etc. Most of which are specific to the game, some are MMORPG related. In short - the game itself holds no records.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I get a free magazine called White Dwarf which is heavily related to my job. I get that each month and am expected to read it. Lately it hasn’t been too good, but looking at all the pretty pictures of new models is cool.
I’ve stopped playing computer games as much and I read books far more often. Every night of a week I go to sleep with a book in hand, reading until I drop the book and it wakes me up so that I can put it down and go to bed.
I’ve read 7 books in 3 weeks and am currently reading an omnibus book with 3 books in called Genevieve, about a vampire girl in the Warhammer world. 7 books in 3 weeks for me is a record, considering while at School and University, I read 2 books, Of Mice and Men, because it was part of my English GCSE, and The Lord Of The Rings.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I have to agree, I am reading books a lot more now - since giving up the magazines. Although I’m not on 7 books in 3 weeks, I did read 220 (of 330) pages of Chris Moyles, The Difficult Second Book yesterday afternoon, in the one stint. Next I’ll probably read Richard Hammond’s biography…