Just lately one in every of my Fb teams was up in arms over a significant announcement from Automobile and Driver journal. In case you missed it, they’re altering from a 12-issue annual subscription to simply six. However the brand new format might be bigger, with double the pages and on higher paper. So 6 = 12 within the new math, someway.
The explanation this prompted such a stir in that group most likely had extra to do with the character of the group itself. It’s a non-public web page for the group of automotive media professionals – writers, photographers, PR employees, and others within the enterprise. For a gaggle of colleagues I’ve identified for twenty years now, this hit near house.
In fact, none of this was actually information to our group both. Automobile and Driver was merely the final domino to fall in a protracted line of former “massive e book” titles. Highway & Observe had already moved to 6 premium points a yr, and each Motor Pattern and Sizzling Rod had earlier introduced a transfer to quarterly print. Automobile Craft was euthanized unceremoniously and Vehicle journal folded years in the past, lots of its employees ending up operating Hagerty’s in-house journal.
Having lined the brand new automobile scene for an solely digital writer most of my profession, I noticed the writing on the wall for conventional magazines greater than a decade in the past. The web permits – and actually rewards – on the spot gratification, however the print cycle takes time. And cash. Some huge cash. When each title is counting on the identical new automobile content material, time is cash. The quicker you’ll be able to publish, the higher it’s in the long term. I used to look at fellow journalists compete to see whose story would rank first in Google whereas nonetheless on the product launch. That’s what the enterprise grew to become.
In fact, pushing extra individuals to learn the web site as an alternative of ready for the print version to reach modified the promoting income as effectively. Digital {dollars} aren’t as beneficiant as print and advertisers can’t simply mine priceless analytical information from print adverts like they will from digital clicks. Print budgets noticed revisions accordingly.
The few print publications that remained obtained bodily smaller with fewer pages to fill as advertisers fled from paper. I used to be really embarrassed by the final copy of Automobile and Driver I picked up; it felt like a comic book e book. And so the viscous cycle continued till we obtained to the present state of affairs.
I mentioned I noticed the writing on the wall greater than a decade in the past, and but in late 2016 I launched my very own print journal anyway. It was a small, extraordinarily area of interest journal for Land Rover house owners, printed quarterly on high quality paper. Sound acquainted? It ought to, as a result of that’s the present playbook for way of life magazines, which dominate right now’s newsstands. These titles focus much less on time-sensitive data in favor of deeper storytelling for specialised communities of fans.
Regardless of all of the modifications to the automobile magazines we as soon as knew, right now’s newsstand (if you’ll find one) is full of vibrant new titles. A latest scan of my native Barnes & Noble confirmed dozens of magazines devoted to each area of interest of the automotive pastime. Most are hyper targeted on a single model or curiosity moderately than normal automotive matters.
It’s true, these publish much less continuously they usually value extra to buy. However for the suitable readers, additionally they present numerous leisure, inspiration, and even worth. All that, plus an immersive, uninterrupted expertise that may’t be matched on a telephone or laptop computer display.
The automobile journal nonetheless has numerous life left in it, so far as I can inform. Simply not the automobile magazines you bear in mind. You owe it to your self to take a look at a number of the nice new titles which have emerged lately. However what do I do know?
