I've been stopping in the town of Waseca, MN while enroute to/from OSH some years. If the name Waseca rings a bell with you....you may be remembering "Herter's Worlds Finest" outdoor catalogs. As a kid, I used to drool over every issue of those catalogs....all the magnificent outdoor and hunting gear, and all "World's Finest".
Well, it turns out Herters has been out of business for many years. But during a cab ride into town to a hotel a few years ago, we drove past a HUGE building, and I asked the driver what that was. His response was to the effect that If you get a printed magazine from any organization or entity on earth, it may very well have been printed in that building. Oh, and he pointed out that the company that owns that business has been cutting way back on employees over the last several years. Print subscriptions have been drying up in favor of digital subscriptions, and Waseca is feeling the pain.
A few years ago, I opted to go digital on a couple major magazine subscriptions. After a two year "trial period" I realized I hadn't read a SINGLE article in either of those magazines, though I'd sort of scrolled through them before zapping them from my mail.
I went back to print versions for both. Now, I actually read three or four, maybe more articles from each....then I drop them off (still pretty current) at a local flight school. Their students pick them up and take them home. I don't know if that's good, bad or indifferent, but.....
Early in this thread it was mentioned that there are very few people who are interested in this type flying, but frankly, there are FAR more people interested in and participating in, this type flying now than I've ever seen in 52 years of flying. So, why minimal interest in the magazine?
My theory is young folks these days are almost totally focused on social media, NOT print media, or even digital versions of print media. Print media is totally dependent on advertising, and advertisers are pretty savvy as to where their advertising $$s make a difference.
The same goes for Associations. Young folks aren't "joiners" like many of us old coots. So, many organizations that have done a lot of good for their community over the decades are suffering from a lack of younger members.
Times they are a changing, and I'm not sure it's for the better. But, trying to operate a print magazine on ANY subject right now is a tough row to hoe......
Good for these folks for giving it a shot, and sorry it didn't work out.
MTV
