In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Jerome
Grimbert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>Malcolm Cadman makes some magical things to make me read
>} >Ah ! I think it was just a french problem where magazines looks more an more
>} >catalogues with lot of advertising and propaganda (guru Bill do this, guru
>} >Bill thinks that...)
>} >
>} >-----Message d'origine-----
>} >De : Malcolm Cadman
>} >(...)
>} >OT - yet computer magazines today are largely just product reviews, and
>} >new software version reviews ...
>} >(...)
>}
>} Probably a 'world wide' depressing period for computer magazines then
>} ....
>
>Nope, a classical evolution.
>Magazines are first made by enthusiasts, for other enthusiasts and hobbyists.
>When success is there, money start flowing, and marketing people gets in.
>At that time, the enthusiastic writers are usually exausted or outnumbered by
>'will write for food' writers.
>Hence the content drop in level of specificity ("Let's widen our audience"),
>the commercial ads have more influence on the editorial, and the latest
>integrity enthusiasts stop being published or even writing.
>The magazine is then the optimal money-making scheme:
> - no hard content (counter productive with advertisement)
> - lots of advertisements and 'product'-review
> - good reputations (from the old time) in the newcomers' circles
> - hopefully a lot of running subscription.
I cannot dispute your logic.
I subscribe to specialist magazines for QL and RISC OS, which avoid this
problem to a large extent.
The only PC magazine I subscribe to is 'PC Magazine' by Ziff-Net. THis
preserves a depth of discussion, despite the pressures that you so
clearly outline above.
>Alas, it's survival is limited to about 2 or 3 times the longuest subscription.
>(But who cares about that, it's easy money now!, and maybe in the meantime
>we can sell the magazine team to some other publisher..., just like selling
>the old cow... )
C'est le vie ... ?
--
Malcolm Cadman
