One industry watcher riffs on why print magazines continue their resurgence.
“Print is not dead. Print remains strong. And by saying that, it doesn’t make me some hidebound print native who’s refusing to change with the times.”
These words are from Tony Silber in Folio:. He could perhaps be accused of pointing out the obvious, but there are still enough people out there saying print is on the decline that we feel it’s worth a share.
“In the regional market, I’ve had executives tell me directly that they’d devote resources to digital if they could only find a way to monetize it,” Silber continues. “I’ve had others say that they have had to make bets—that among print, digital and live events, they could only choose two. Digital was not chosen.”
The magazine industry is rife with examples. Regional magazines are one sure bright spot, and niche titles continue to thrive. Perhaps the most surprise success story is the resurgence in the luxury fashion and lifestyle sectors, where print is proving a winner.
“Just this week, news about three regional/high-net-worth print magazines caught my eye,” Silber continues. “Bloomberg Pursuits announced that it was increasing its frequency to six from four. The Economist announced it was relaunching its nine-year-old Intelligent Life luxury lifestyle print magazine with a new name, 1843, and a six-times frequency. And most remarkable of all, Modern Luxury, the regional luxe specialist, is rolling out Silicon Valley this month.”
All of this speaks to a growing acknowledgement of the growing and powerful impact of print, to both traditional bases and younger readers. Call us old-fashioned, but in reality, we are running along the leading edge of where print magazines are heading.