It's Tuesday: 5 Things About the World of Magazines & Media - Issue #32
We're now 25 days into the new year and a little less than a month and a half away from the second anniversary of the declaration of the Covid-19 crisis here in the US.
Since that first declaration, so much has changed in the world of magazines and media. The way we market, sell, forecast. Our relationships with our suppliers, partners, employees and employers have changed dramatically.
Yet here and there I can still detect and see glimmers of what once was standard and typical and "how we do it." In many cases, what we have kept is still there because it works. In others, it's simply because we haven't had time to create something new.
My hope as we continue on this path into 2022 is that we do adapt, change, grow, and that it is all for the better. With that in mind, I polled a few friends about how things were going for them this year.
Here's what they had to say, lightly edited, and I hope you find it enlightening and entertaining:
Here's some articles that may help you this week:
#1 Hearst reinstates "Flexible" work rules after return to office causes some employees to catch Covid-19
‘There were seven cases on various floors that week’: Confessions of a media employee who returned to the office — digiday.com A Hearst employee returned to the office, but just a few weeks later COVID was in the building too.
Several things came to mind as I read this anonymous interview:
For whatever reason, the publisher decided to bring people back into the office in spite of the beginning of the Omicron outbreak. Maybe they thought employees wanted to be back. Maybe they thought people would be more productive. Maybe management wanted to see their people. I wish they had put that on pause.
While the company may have made an effort to make in-office work successful, the employees' description of the layout shows that it’s a lot harder than it appears and much depends on the cooperation of your colleagues.
Unions seem pretty necessary as a counterbalance to the power an employer may have over their employees. Years ago the power may have shifted too far towards unions, but the balance has changed and it's time for employees to have more say in their jobs and how their employers treat them.
#2 Arena Group purchases Athlon/Parade Media Group
The Arena Group is buying Parade and plans up-listing to New York Stock Exchange — www.axios.com In a $16 million cash and stock deal.
As a former Athlon employee and stockholder, I have a few feelings about this.
#3 It's official! The Chicago Sun-Times is acquired by Chicago Public Media (ie: Public Radio Station WBEZ)
Chicago Public Media to acquire the Sun-Times - Axios — www.axios.com The parent company of WBEZ voted to take over the local newspaper.
My reactions to most recent media acquisitions seem to run the gamut from :
"What a great idea!"
to...
"What? How's that gonna work?"
to
“Well...O.K."
This is definitely in the former department and I'm thrilled to think that Chicago will remain a two newspaper town.
#4 In other Sun-Times news, they completed the AAM Digital Audit Program
'Chicago Sun-Times' Joins AAM's Audit Program, Ups Digital Transparency 01/21/2022 — www.mediapost.com 'Chicago Sun-Times' Joins AAM's Audit Program, Ups Digital Transparency - 01/21/2022
As I’m in the middle of completing several AAM reports for some magazine publishers, I found this news item about the recently acquired Chicago Sun Times (see item 3 above) pretty interesting. AAM has really gone above and beyond in working out the details of their digital auditing program. Now that the Sun Times is owned by the non-profit public radio station, having their digital presence verified is a big step in proving their trustworthiness to potential new advertisers.
#5 And you get a subscription! And you get a subscription! And you get a subscription!
TikTok begins testing support for paid subscriptions – TechCrunch — techcrunch.com TikTok is testing support for paid subscriptions, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. As first reported by The Information, the popular short-form video app is exploring the option for creators to charge subscriptions for their content. The feature is part of a limited test for the time being and is not broadly available. TikTok […]
Instagram is testing paid subscriptions with a small group of creators - The Verge — www.theverge.com Paid subscriptions come with access to exclusive content and features, like subscriber-only Lives and badges.
Paid subscriptions on social media platforms feels like the next logical step. For one, it could free creators from their dependence on promoting other products and put them in closer contact with their followers.
I do wonder what cut the platforms are taking from the subscription and how much leverage the creators have over that percentage.
And of course, there's always the issue of what the platforms are doing with all of the member data they vacuum up every time you log on.
So when will we see articles about "subscription fatigue?"
I found these inspirational moments of Magazine Zen this week
No Magazine Agita this week - here's a little more zen!
I do hope you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that you found it informative, enlightening and entertaining. If you did, please click like and subscribe. You’ll get a brand new release in your in-box every Tuesday.
Do you have a question or comment? Please drop me a line. You can always reach me at joe.berger@newsstandpros.com.
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That’s all I’ve got for you this week so go on, get back to work! Eight emails and two spams have hit your in-box since you started to read this and four of them started with "I hope this email finds you well." Three end with the salutation, "Stay safe!"
Stay Safe!