pugdog
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Mar 2, 2005, 9:55 PM
Post #3 of 3
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Re: [SqukrPpers] Bead World Magazine's Passing
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I realize there is a place for the ads adn reasons for: but I dont buy a magazine about beading for ads....I buy it to see the new projects, patterns and what peoples minds have come up with in designing a piece, something that stimulates me
Maybe that's why it "passed on."
Magazines live and die by 1) advertising and 1) circulation. (not a typo) Without circulation you don't get advertising and without advertising you can't afford circulation.
All content is, is a means to sell ad space.
I've been working on magazines, newspapers, and other publications since High School, and semi-professionally since my 1st year in collage (semi- meaning it was always a part-time additional income for my photography habit).
The difficulty people reported finding it means circulation was aproblem -- even wth advertising not an issue (the first issue of a magazine, advertising is not the driving force, usually).
Color publications need to be about 25-30% advertising to survive. B&W or self-published publications that are NOT MAILED, need to have only about a 15% advertising to survive. Mailing adds significant overvhead.
Some magazines are 70% or more advertising, but that is their "hook." They offer less expensive ads, and most of their readership is interested in the advertising -- electronics and photography magazines were the prime example. Fashion publications are another, or possibly a better example today.
Just as digital photography changed the entire field/face of photography, the web and electronic publications have changed the concepts of publishing.
We used to have to invest heavily in film and processing and be limited in what we did on every shoot. A roll of film (mid-90's) was $8 on average, and processing was another $8 to $22 depending on what it was. A 10-roll shoot could cost upwards of $400 in materials, not including the models or accomodations.
Digital photography changed all that. For the price of some batteries, or a rechargable pack, you can literally shoot all day, reloading/reusing your film, and offloading to a computer or mass-storage device, then backing up on CD's for $0.50 each. A CD would hold anywhere from 100 to 600 high resolution images. More lower res ones. If all you were looking for was "THE" shot, like in a product shot, you'd not even bother with 99 out of 100 images. Total costs for materials is virtually ZERO.
Same for electronic publishing. For the cost of a website, $25 to $500 a month on average, you are not limited to what, and how much you store on-line or make available. You can publish new articles daily, weekly or every mintute. Costs are intangible, and the number of readers doesn't change it much. If one issue is not a "hot" seller, there are no wasted copies. If one issue is a hot seller, there are unlimited copies available.
Print publications are more like the old photography. You have to plan in advance, incure a lot of non-reusable or recoverable costs, and hope for the best.
It's not easy to publish a magazine. Many good ones die because of poor management, poor circulation (and thus advertising) or poor advertising. Successful magazines are the ones with the best marketing, not the best "content."
Nothing is stopping ANYONE from sharing their ideas here on-line for FREE.
Few people do share their work. Everyone waits for someone else. Sometimes its laziness, sometimes it's fear of rejection, other times it's selfishness (I don't want people to see my great ideas).
But nothing is stopping anyone from creating a publication on-line. The costs are low, the work is shared, there are no massive up front bills to pay, no back issues and returned stock to manage. No paste up, layout or other production people to pay, etc.
But maybe that was the problem with the magazine. Maybe it _wasn't_ economic, but CONTENT. If people are not willing to contribute, to share ideas, and foster creativity, there is no publication.
After 3 years on-line with beading related sites and forums, and visiting many, many sites and forums, there seems to be both little cooperation between people and an almost unfriendly attitude about sharing ideas, how-to's or even pictures.
But, it's nothing I haven't said before. It depresses me. With computers, and cameras, and places to put them, and forums to talk and share, and interact -- no one does. And on the few forums that do generate traffic, it's superficial and mostly self serving, not for the public good.
http://beadworkarchives.com is available for FREE dissemination of your how-tos, patterns, ideas, etc.
http://beadnews.com will be set up shortly, and will have updates from around the world on beading issues and news.
http://beadscene.com will be set up to complement http://beadnews.com with more emphasis on classes, resources, and exhibits.
But participation is key.
Anyway.... as Johny Torch says , "Flame off."
FWIW: The new Spring "Stringing" magazine from beadwork arrived today. IT's issue #3 and has some nice ideas.
PUGDOG's Rock & Bead Shop
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
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I happen to get my hands on the premeire issue of BeadWord after looking for it everywhere, ( wanted to see what everyone was talking about)....anyway I cannot understand why they discontinued that magazine, more projects in it for the noviced to advanced beader.....than any magazine I have bought, I realize there is a place for the ads adn reasons for: but I dont buy a magazine about beading for ads....I buy it to see the new projects, patterns and what peoples minds have come up with in designing a piece, something that stimulates me.. I just hope they will reconsider cause Deb M. that is and always will be a wonderful magazine.......just was hoping it was around much longer.