We hardly knew you, ok I admit I only read 2 issues…and they were both given to me. But hey you had some cool pics, I think.
Going to a digital only format after this issue.
I’m fine with digital only. I have so many Triathlete and Lava Magazines in my house. I don’t know what to do with all of them.
I used to subscribe. Indeed, they had great photos and nice depth in the articles. I just didn’t think the price of the paper issues were worth it.
I like the e-version.
Are paper subscriptions a thing of the past?
We hardly knew you, ok I admit I only read 2 issues…and they were both given to me. But hey you had some cool pics, I think.
Going to a digital only format after this issue.
I’ve subscribed to all the tri magazines in the past. Dropped them all for Lava since the get-go. It’s the best for those that want a true tri magazine without the fluff. I’ll continue to subscribe. Been with their digital format for a while and love it. FYI, Rapp’s article this month is spot on.
Lava is a lot better than triathlete magazine
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I just wish that Running Times was still around - that was a good magazine.
I read my magazines at night before I turn the light off. I have no desire to read digital stuff only.
The photography is excellent, the writing good. The format and build quality of the magazine is superb. But when it came time to renew, my interest level had dwindled, so I declined to renew it. It may be an indication of my passion for triathlon as a whole right now, but nothing at fault with Lava magazine.
I would still love to see quarterly issues printed- maybe using Rouleur magazine as sort of a template (who have 8 annual issues- but is CRAZY expensive).
I’m like old fart Dave above me who prefers print magazines to “digital magazines”. Digital magazines seem to me more like websites with paywalls.
I read my magazines at night before I turn the light off. I have no desire to read digital stuff only.
Get an iPad. iPad mini to be exact. Keep it on your beside table.
I would still love to see quarterly issues printed- maybe using Rouleur magazine as sort of a template (who have 8 annual issues- but is CRAZY expensive).
I love that format… a few years ago I subscribed to The Surfer’s Journal - six pages of ads per issue, quarterly publication, high-quality stock, and first-rate photography and writing. Back issues actually used to go for more than face value on Ebay after they sold out. Lots of focus on the characters and heritage of the sport, even only tangentially-related topics like art and music, and virtually nothing in terms of the “marketing disguised as articles” that is the fodder of so many magazine (i.e. product “shootouts”, “buyer’s guides” etc). Great magazine worthy of cover-to-cover reading and I only stopped subscribing when triathlon stole all my leisure time from surfing.
Was given a bunch of Rouleur back issues a while back and it reminded me a lot of TSJ. Not sure if tri has the same depth of heritage etc yet as surfing and cycling but there must be plenty of similar subject matter out there in the tri world to dip into.
Not an “old fart” but still hate the digital format for magazines or books. Terrible. Will not be renewing my subscription.
I subscribed to LAVA and others. Sometimes wouldn’t have time to read but would usually take a few issues when on plane for business and traveling to events to catch up and have something to occupy time. And yes, would like to see maybe quarterly issues…would still subscribe. Probably won’t subscribe to digital offering.
I’m fine with digital only. I have so many Triathlete and Lava Magazines in my house. I don’t know what to do with all of them.
Does your town do recycling?
Shredder? I’ve heard that shredded paper mixed in with mulch keeps bugs down
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.
I think cosmo or magazines like that will survive a bit longer, maybe.
I hope so, cosmo is my favourite
I love that format… a few years ago I subscribed to *The Surfer’s Journal *- six pages of ads per issue, quarterly publication, high-quality stock, and first-rate photography and writing.
I read that as well
The excellent, crisp, glossy stock + the alluringly acrid aroma of fresh ink = nothing better
The Surfers Journal is the only magazine I still pay for and read. Well I flip through others in waiting rooms, but the ads to article ratio is just crazy, and I cannot wade through it anymore. I suspect that Lava will flounder in cyberspace of a bit, then be gone forever. I just don’t see the interest or numbers from our sport to support a paid online subscription. But perhaps an ad based model could work, but just don’t see the click through rate to support really good and paid writers.
I hope I’m wrong about this, but doesn’t look good.
yea i loved the print and not a fan of digital but they had to keep the doors open some how
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I work for the largest magazine publisher in Canada and I can tell you that the main reason that paper magazines are going to a digital only model is to gain readership with millennials. I for one think it’s a bad approach (as a data analyst in the industry) because keeping the attention of millennials for any duration of time is proving to be difficult. The numbers show they have a drastically lower attention span and reading a magazine from cover to cover isn’t how they consume content. They prefer to seek out the content they want to consume not have it dictated through traditional channels. The rest of the population as a rule prefers the tactile feel of the paper magazine.
From a business perspective they are attempting to get the next generation of consumers to bolster their pitches to advertisers. Print is finite and you only have X amount of pages you can print ads in. Digital however is a dynamic environment where they can individually target readers based on their browsing history, or other demographic/geographic identifiers. You also have the cost savings of having no physical circulation, distribution and overhead such as paper, ink, and postage become profits. With this however comes the loss of journalism because the profits being lost from switching to digital only do not offset the readership lost from the paper model. When those profits are lost the finances needed to hire and keep good journalists is also lost. The long investigative stories that really matter are no longer feasible and the brand looses itself.
In the end the best model is proving to be 1 subscription with choice of format without any physical newsstand presence. Cross promote your magazine on the various channels (Website/Youtube/Social Media) and allow readers to pick their format or switch between both.
If you want to see an interesting (and funny) video on this check out John Oliver’s rant on the subject.
We hardly knew you, ok I admit I only read 2 issues…and they were both given to me. But hey you had some cool pics, I think.
Going to a digital only format after this issue.
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/...digital#.WN2gjMDyvgk
Maybe digital is better for fixing their mistakes? Their cover story was “Are Keytones the New SUPERFUEL?” for the last two days. Who on Earth literally read the research and then proceeded to refer to ketones as keytones?