In Reply To:
Are paper subscriptions a thing of the past?
I think so. It'll take another 4-10 years but I think you'll see more and more niche magazines go to digital only formats. I think it digital only has a few benefits. I think cosmo or magazines like that will survive a bit longer, maybe.
You can go more in depth in digital. Write 2000 words vs 800 words about a subject like USAT's head in the sand approach to age group doping (zing)! You can have more pics and who doesn't like pics? Or video and/or interactive content. Books/mags are limited to scratch n sniff for interaction.
My first sales job was for a regional sports magazine. It was always a every other month publication. I just picked up a copy the other day and saw it was quarterly. Sure sign that either ad sales are down (maybe my sales records still stand since they were $3-8k > per issue than anyone before me in that position!), it's harder to get content, the (same) managing director needs to be changed (probably) or there is just less interest in paper mags.
On the other hand there is a used book store here that does a brisk business in used magazines. You can find all sorts of obscure stuff there. Mags from other countries and languages.
Personally I like books, the feel of paper in my hand, but only for books. I don't mind digital books though. I prefer to read magazines and research digitally. I'm already a fast reader but in digital format I blow away my paper reading speed.
Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching Insta