It's Tuesday: 5 Things About the World of Magazines and Media - Issue #40
What is it about the world of 21st century office work and the ideal that we should be super busy, super productive and constantly cranked up to achieve it all, all the time?
I often wonder if it's good for us humans to be so busy. To be so cranked up, stressed out, under the gun, on point and delivering all the deliverables whenever and wherever.
To me, it's not that I don't want to work hard. Moreover, it's not a case of finding that perfect work-life balance. Honestly, doesn't that phrase alone sound stressful? It's more like life should be balanced. Work should be just one part of a giant mosaic of what makes life balanced.
More importantly, the work we do should be humane because we are human. Does that make sense?
This train of thought was triggered by a thoughtful newsletter from Nikki Simpson, the director of the International Magazine Center in Scotland. It made me think about a whole bunch of people in the magazine world who these days are overworked beyond capacity.
Let's be human. Let's be humane. Maybe ask yourself, how big does that margin really need to be?
1___ Are You Organized? Some thoughts from the International Magazine Center
Being organised vs unmanageable workloads — mailchi.mp
...I read a tweet yesterday that made me feel very uncomfortable. It said that if you're organised enough, literally everything you want to do can be achieved in the time allowed. Hmm 🤔 It reminded me of a job I had a loooong time ago where my boss asked me (at a point when I was having palpitations from the workload and resulting stress) "Nikki, do you think it's not possible to do what I've asked of you?"
If you haven't checked out the International Magazine Centre, you should. They have some excellent resources, mentorships, training seminars and so much more. The magazine publishing industry really really needs an advocate for small magazine publishers. I am very glad they are here helping publishers become more successful at the business of magazine publishing.
2___Some more thoughts on the closing of Amazon Bookstores from Chris Borrelli of the Chicago Tribune
Amazon’s bookstore in Lakeview is closing — ‘Boo-hoo’ and don’t let the algorithms hit you on the way out — www.chicagotribune.com Amazon Books sat between a Capital One branch and a Free People clothing store, which is where Amazon Books also spiritually resided.
I have a lot of feelings about the current owners of The Chicago Tribune, a "vampire" hedge fund called Alden Capital, and what they've done to one of my hometown newspapers. But let's not go there right now.
The fact that there are still writers there like Chris Borrelli, Nina Metz and Clarence Page there makes it worth it to maintain a subscription.
In this column, Borrelli visits the sole Chicago location shortly before it's last day in existence and also talks with local Chicago indie bookstore owners.
How good is this column? This was his opening salvo:
"it’s closing March 19, after sitting there for five years, cold and vague, an enigmatic cultural artifact, never loved, requested or wished for — I stood on the sidewalk, took notes, and a woman in a Lululemon zip-up asked me what I was writing. I said, this Amazon Books, it’s closing.
She cackled."
Yep. There's still some good original writing and reporting at the Trib.
3___Paper Printers are Getting Squeezed Out
The Target Report: Printing Papers Get Squeezed Out – February 2022 M&A Activity — www.thetargetreport.com The Target Report provides an overview for buyers and sellers of businesses in the changing and evolving printing and related industries.
No one really wants to hear this, but the conclusion from this recap of what is going on in the paper industry is mostly that there is "No Going Back". Prices are not going to drop anytime soon.
4___AI May Help Publishers ID "Zombie Subscribers"
Why 77% of publishing execs think AI will be important for success | What’s New in Publishing | Digital Publishing News — whatsnewinpublishing.com 77% of publishing executives told WAN-IFRA that AI will be important for the success of their business in 2024. But, nearly 50% of the same cohort said they had not yet explored any AI technology. Many cited internal challenges such as a lack of resources as key reasons for this. 🎧 Listen to this article For publishers wishing to …
Clearly, if you're going to go through the effort to publish content and put it out into the world for people to read or view, you want people to read or view it. This article from "What's New In Publishing" surveyed publishers who think that AI and the use of algorithms may help encourage infrequent readers to visit more often.
Infrequent readers are the "zombies" in case you were wondering.
5___Monday Note: Gasée Looks at the Apple Business Model
Apple Business Model: A Naive Nostalgic Look | by Jean-Louis Gassée | Monday Note — mondaynote.com Once upon a time, Apple offered an easy-to-understand business model. The company made personal computers, small, medium, and large. Successfully positioned in the affordable luxury market sector…
The "Monday Note" newsletter is one of my favorite reads and I refer back to this particular note because this week marks the 12th anniversary of when I transitioned from a Windows PC user to a full time MacUser. I celebrated that day by tossing my old, stuttering WinXP desktop into the closet and bought a sleek new iMac for my office.
Not surprisingly, the iMac experience meant that my Windows laptop was quickly replaced by a sleek and shiny MacBook Air. You can guess what other bits of the Apple universe have since invaded both my professional and personal life.
One more thing...As a fan of corporate speak, take a look at this followup Monday Note that looks at the Apple identity and business model:
Apple Identity Re-Analyzed. by Jean-Louis Gassée | by Jean-Louis Gassée | Monday Note — mondaynote.com Last week’s Naive and Nostalgic Look At Apple’s Business Model, while suffering from the lingering effects of epidural sedation, still generated lively discussions of the company’s future, its…
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Now back to work. Go and look busy. Pretend you're in one of those Hollywood romcoms where the protagonist works at a magazine and can type a gazillion words a minute about random things that everyone thinks is amazing. Go on! You can do it!
Have a great week everyone!