The Result of a Downhill Slump

As we continue on with the topic of magazines, I would like to add how disappointed I am in their current failure to stay on top and relevant among consumers.

The times are awful now. The economy is failing as the dollar is depreciating. People are having a difficult time finding jobs that can pay enough for them to make a living while still having enough spending/saving money left over. Lack of spending money means that people will resort to any opportunity in which they don't have to pay for things they otherwise don't need or don't want. People don't necessarily need magazines to survive. However, staying in touch with what is going on in the world and being entertained creates an uplifting mood for people to stay self-assured of themselves. It makes people feel that they have a sense of purpose, because they can feel that they are a part of something that seems to be calling to them.

Magazines serve that purpose. For me, they provide a way for me to be "in the know." As I said before, they are time capsules packaged in paper form. They allow you to refer to them for retrospective purposes. You can take them with you everywhere, rip them out and tape it to your wall, and share them with anyone you think will care about your discovery. With the advent of the internet, people are easily finding ways to fulfill their need to entertain themselves. The internet bill is paid for. Beyond that, most content is free. No longer will they have to wait for the scheduled times at which magazines and newspapers come out, and TV shows and news broadcasts come on. They are making the most out of their limited budgets.

These limited budgets as a result of our economy's downward slope is having a destructive effect on magazines everywhere. Time and time again, I continue to come across articles about magazines and newspapers folding. TV show ratings are going down, and work hard to keep them up. These industries now have to rely on the internet in order to stay relevant among the eyes of the American people. It's sad and disappointing. I love magazines so dearly, and would be sad to watch them disappear and phase out completely.

Once one aspect of the entertainment industry heads toward one direction, everything else follows suit. I feel like all of this began with the music industry. Napster, then iTunes. Now, iTunes comes out with albums that people can buy. I prefer the real thing where you physically flip through the booklets and hold onto the CDs. With iTunes, you are limited as to how many people can use the purchased music. With the physical CD, you can pass it on to as many people as you want. Now, CD sales are going down. CD store are going down with them. Sam Goody's closed down at Deptford Mall as well as other locations. FYE doesn't fare much better.

The internet versions of books and magazines, I find them to be largely inconvenient. They have more cons than pros. They are virtual, far from tangible. You can't physically rip them out, highlight them, circle parts that you think are important, or read them to your friends in an extremely long car ride or flight. You can't take them with you everywhere. If you're stranded in the middle nowhere with no internet access, how will you read it? If they invented a device to read it like Amazon does with the Kindle, what happens when the battery runs out?

The only thing great about internet versions of literature is that you don't have to take them with you. You can leave them at home. No need to pack them in your suitcase when you're traveling which means less weight to carry with you. This is OK as long as there will be internet access. I didn't have to pack my Biology text book as I made my way to New York City. Highly convenient, but in the end, I want my physical, tangible version with me, so that I can read it, highlight it, bookmark it, and flip through it with ease. I don't need to scroll as I get to the middle of the page. My face can get as close to it as possible and still be able to see things with clarity.

It's unfortunate that industries are resorting to digitize everything. It's a sign that the times are a-changin'. They need to keep up soon, or they'll fall far, far behind.

In the end, the physical versions have more longevity to them. There is less of a monopoly on their existence. More convenient, because you know you'll always have them as long as you haven't thrown them out. I hope magazines that have been around for years and years continue to stay. It's a pity that they have to diminish and gradually fade away, until finally they're gone. Phasing them out will be very sad.