Orikoru
Tour Winner
In Smith's 40 quid'll get you what, one magazine and two chocolate bars?
Q and Golf World
- Thread starter Hacker Khan
- Start date
D
Deleted member 21258
Guest
I'm just about to let my GM subs lapse for a number of personal reasons.
Only left with a couple of business subs now, that I feel I get some value from.
Written mags will die out for certain, just a matter of when and how they adapt their business models to the modern age and how/if they survive in non paper form.
Only left with a couple of business subs now, that I feel I get some value from.
Written mags will die out for certain, just a matter of when and how they adapt their business models to the modern age and how/if they survive in non paper form.
Wolf
Well-known member
In an airport smiths your only getting that if the chocolates on a 2 for 1 offer. ?
As to my own magazine buying I may on occasion buy Mens Health, purely because in my industry someone always asks me about an article they've seen in it and want to try it, even then I only buy it if the person asking me hasn't got it to hand to show me. So I'll read the article and then decide if theirs any validity in the the usage of it to the person doing the asking. 9/10 there isn't any use for it at all.
I just don't see the longevity in magazines in anymore, most are full of nothing but adverts and padded rehash of what's been said and done before.
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Which begs the question how will they survive on the internet rather than in print if it is just rehashed content?
Wolf
Well-known member
I don't have the answer to that, but it's evident in any golf mag, fitness mag or hobby mag that it's same stuff rehashed and reworded by a different person. I am of the opinion that paid for magazine content offline or online with the way society is changing, is now of limited use and there will come a time a lot of these publications will go by the wayside. I'm not saying its right its just my opinion.
Demographics are changing year on year and people are consuming digital content more and more. By the time my kids grow up I doubt a single one will buy a magazine or a book as it's all available with a quick swipe and a Google.
Bazz
Q-School Graduate
And a free water.
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Interesting that McKeller golf magazine is trying a different approach where they are charging a lot of money for a magazine but ensuring that the articles are written by some of the best golf writers. This may be one model as I expect you will never get big sales numbers, but there may be enough people out there to pay a premium for good quality writing to make it worthwhile.
I think the traditional golf printed magazines have an issue as there is obviously a some good writing in them. But also a lot of rehashed press releases overhyping of the latest driver/irons and meaningless instruction. Plus golf enthusiasts have increasingly read/listened/watched about the latest releases and golf stories already through podcasts and YouTube by the time the mag is printed. And you could argue the mags were slow in getting into podcasting/YouTube and other more 'non-traditional' content providers stepped in.
Wolf
Well-known member
Who?.. Seriously though never heard of them and had to google them l, even then I could only find a US site and no UK places to buy it, comes out at around £11. 40 per issue. I don't see that as a viable alternative to main stream print media, I can buy brand new books that will entertain for longer for less than half that. I don't see how that's a sustainable long term model for magazine sales, but this is golf we're talking about so there is likely a market for it as you say.
Your 2nd paragraph is spot on with regards to traditional golf & hobby mags in general. For every good article there are dozens more that are pure filler, there is only so much instruction that can be given, reworded etc. New gear comes out so quickly these days that by the time the next edition of a mag comes to print there are online reviews which are in many cases better which begs question of the necessity of it in print media anyway as magazines could get these reviews out quicker in there own online digital content. As for podcast and YouTube again you're right and again often the content is out there in better format than golf magazines create. All purely my own opinions of course but it's all these reasons I feel golf & hobby magazines in general are going to have a shelf life on need and sales.
GB72
Money List Winner
i do prefer a hard copy magazine or book to a kindle or tablet, just prefer the feeling of them and digital media does not feel right to me. Plus you need to stump up for something decent if you want to read anything other than text in the sun on holiday. That said, have not bought a magazine in years. Hobby mags, as many have said, follow and annual pattern with many rehashed articles at the same time each year. Plus, and I have no idea whether there is any basis for this, I will never be convinced by a review where the company has paid advertising space every month, in the same way that I would be concerned that YouTube reviewers lose objectivity once they are sponsored or rely on trips and junkets from manufacturers. I find people whose opinion I trust on YouTube, ideally those supported by YouTube revenue and Patreon only and stick with those especially as moving pictures are far more useful than stills.
I still read the odd film magazine as the articles are interesting and the reviews take up a remarkably small amount of the magazine. Even then, film reviewers do tend to remain independent.
I still read the odd film magazine as the articles are interesting and the reviews take up a remarkably small amount of the magazine. Even then, film reviewers do tend to remain independent.