It's Tuesday: In unsurprising news... - Issue #71
Do we really live in a world full of surprises? Sometimes, I'm not so sure.
Since I was an intern in the United States Senate, more years ago than I care to admit, scientists have been warning about the terrible changes we're making to our planet's environment. Yet even today some people announce how surprised they are that our climate is changing. How could that be happening, they wonder.
When I was a teenager, we were warned that we shouldn't be so dependent on oil based products for our energy needs. Yet here we are, how many years since the oil shocks of the early 1970's, surprised and angered that gasoline, natural gas and home heating oil is so incredibly expensive.
In the magazine business, we've been watching the slow roll of mergers and acquisitions in our paper mills, printers, and large publishers. The incoming tide of digital reading and e-commerce has been swamping the traditional print world.** I talk with business associates who say they can't believe how things are turning out. Why? This has been happening in real time for several decades.
So, what's so surprising to you in your life?
1___Can MagLiteracy.org continue to exist?
Can MagLiteracy.org Exist? - MagLiteracy — magliteracy.org
Dear Friends – MagLiteracy.org is at an existential fork in our amazing journey – our moonshot. One path leads to achieving everything we set out to be.
The answer is, of course, yes it can. And yes, it should. Please help if you can.
If you care about magazines, you should care about literacy. Literacy essentially insures the survival of civilization as we know it. If we have civilization, we have magazines.
Here’s the thing: People who read have their horizons expanded. People who have their horizons expanded are curious. People who read and have their horizons expanded are interesting to be around because they are curious and willing to learn things. That’s what makes civilization worth having.
There is more to society, civilization that just a job and being able to buy things. Being able to read expands your mind, teaches you new things, encourages you to imagine beyond the boundaries of your neighborhood.
2___The NY Times is surprised to learn that there are a lot of indie bookstores out there
Some Surprising Good News: Bookstores Are Booming and Becoming More Diverse - The New York Times — www.nytimes.com More than 300 bookstores have opened in the past couple of years — a revival that is meeting a demand for “real recommendations from real people.”
Well. I suppose I shouldn't be so sarcastic. Sure.
For the record, the number of indie bookstores has been expanding since well before the pandemic. During the pandemic many indie stores successfully pivoted (They p.i.v.o.t.e.d!), kept their businesses open, and adjusted to the challenging times.
So thanks NY Times. I appreciate your catching up and pointing out the obvious! Good job!
3___In "Say what?" news, Condé Nast sues Drake and 21 Savage for fake Vogue cover
Conde Nast Sues Musical Artists Drake, 21 Savage For Alleged Misuse Of 'Vogue' Mark 11/09/2022 — www.mediapost.com Conde Nast Sues Musical Artists Drake, 21 Savage For Alleged Misuse Of 'Vogue' Mark - 11/09/2022
I'm not sure what to say other than this is an absolutely incredible story!
4___Hearst launches "First Finds" to aggregate "must have" products trending on social media
With FirstFinds, Hearst marries ecommerce to Reddit-style voting - Tubefilter — www.tubefilter.com With FirstFinds, Hearst marries ecommerce to Reddit-style voting
This is a pretty interesting concept and I imagine it will work if Hearst can motivate enough of their audience to participate. We are pretty far away from the days when magazine editors used their expertise and were the ones who reviewed and rated and created a "Buyers Guide" for the readers.
Is this a new trend? A simple departure? Affiliate marketing hiding out as something else? I honestly don't know what to think. But I am very intrigued.
5___In vertical news, High Times is now a cannabis producer
High Times acquires Moxie's cannabis assets for 1.3M - Mugglehead Magazine — mugglehead.com Hightimes Holding Corp. (HHC) -- owner of the renowned cannabis magazine High Times -- has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the cannabis-related assets of the first licensed pot company in California.
High Times and Moxie Join Forces in California | High Times — hightimes.com High Times has inked a deal to acquire multistate cannabis operator Moxie’s operations in California, the world’s largest legal cannabis market.
I find this story fascinating in terms of what it could mean for many magazine "publishers". Why not farm the product you write about?
We've seen this with Milk Street Magazine (Magazine, TV Show, Cooking School) so why shouldn't a cannabis publication also be a cannabis farmer?
Your Moment of Magazine Zen...
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Did you know that back in the day we wore suits and ties to work? Every day? We even wore them on airplanes and in warehouses? Want to feel all professional and see what I look like with a suit and tie? Here’s my LinkedIn.
You do realize that there's only nine days until Thanksgiving, right? So you've got all the ingredients to make your stuffing, right? After all, we all know that stuffing is where it's at on Thanksgiving.
Just saying.