Magazines in a Digital World
The latest news from Cafestudy
Posted by: Caféstudy
24th May 2013 03:09pm
Do you like to read magazines? Or do you think they are a waste of money now that we can go online for anything and everything?
A large number of you do indeed think magazines have lost their relevance due to the internet – as tonylovesotis says “I can get the latest news and gossip from sites such as Twitter and pictures from all around the world that are much more timely.” The general consensus among Cafestudy members though, is yes – we do still enjoy magazines and there is still a place for them. They are seen by many people as a way to relax, and a little bit of a luxury. However many of you think the quality has massively declined in recent years, and the amount of advertising is way too high.
Among those of you who do still buy magazines, there is a split into a ‘traditional magazine reader’ camp and an ‘online reader’ camp. Traditional readers will go online if there is a competition to enter or if they want to look up more information about something they have read, however they prefer to have the physical magazine to read and re-read. Women in particular associate glossy magazines with enjoyment and relaxation, and don’t always see online as a substitute, but instead more of a complement.
Men, particularly younger men, are ahead of the ladies in tapping in to online reading – perhaps they don’t have the emotional association with magazines that women do, and the sense that reading a thick glossy magazine is a treat – a little me-time (and who doesn’t need that!). As Blondie72 says “I wouldn’t consider downloading my favourite magazines because I like to enjoy reading my magazines at the beach, by the pool, in the bathtub...”
For those women who are no longer buying as many magazines...or buying any at all, the main reasons are the rising cost of the magazines and the increasing amount of advertising. They are not always going online instead though. For those that do prefer online, it is generally on a tablet not a phone. So perhaps the main threat to traditional magazines is not so much the online content, but the tablet. Magazines do have a big advantage over iPads and other tablets though - the battery never runs out on a magazine!
A large number of you do indeed think magazines have lost their relevance due to the internet – as tonylovesotis says “I can get the latest news and gossip from sites such as Twitter and pictures from all around the world that are much more timely.” The general consensus among Cafestudy members though, is yes – we do still enjoy magazines and there is still a place for them. They are seen by many people as a way to relax, and a little bit of a luxury. However many of you think the quality has massively declined in recent years, and the amount of advertising is way too high.
Among those of you who do still buy magazines, there is a split into a ‘traditional magazine reader’ camp and an ‘online reader’ camp. Traditional readers will go online if there is a competition to enter or if they want to look up more information about something they have read, however they prefer to have the physical magazine to read and re-read. Women in particular associate glossy magazines with enjoyment and relaxation, and don’t always see online as a substitute, but instead more of a complement.
Men, particularly younger men, are ahead of the ladies in tapping in to online reading – perhaps they don’t have the emotional association with magazines that women do, and the sense that reading a thick glossy magazine is a treat – a little me-time (and who doesn’t need that!). As Blondie72 says “I wouldn’t consider downloading my favourite magazines because I like to enjoy reading my magazines at the beach, by the pool, in the bathtub...”
For those women who are no longer buying as many magazines...or buying any at all, the main reasons are the rising cost of the magazines and the increasing amount of advertising. They are not always going online instead though. For those that do prefer online, it is generally on a tablet not a phone. So perhaps the main threat to traditional magazines is not so much the online content, but the tablet. Magazines do have a big advantage over iPads and other tablets though - the battery never runs out on a magazine!
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Comments 16
annie
Yes I like to read Magazines,I purchase Thats Life and Take 5 each week and they are reasonably priced.It is lovely just being able to relax and have a cuppa and read your favourite mag.
Synth
I wouldn't go so far as to say they are a waste of money. But do find storage an issue. We usually donate ours to medical centre's so people waiting have variety to read.
ednamc
I love to flick through the pages of a magazine in bed before I go to sleep. Using a tablet or EReader is not the same.
Anonymous
Can't beat a good magazine easy to go back and forwards looking at articles photos etc
Anonymous
Can't beat a good magazine easy to go back and forwards looking at articles photos etc
Anonymous
Information comes much faster on internet and we don't need to cut trees for that.
go away
I love a good magazine, but it's more a special occasion buy these days because of the cost. Still nothing beats flicking through Vogue or Home Beautiful.
PGS
The continually increasing pices with the increasing number of ads in them stops me buying them often. I did subscribe to a few as it was cheaper and easier, but the PC one went from being a PC mag to an electronic do-dad mag so it was not renewed. The financial ones are generally pretty good, but most of the info is 2 months out of date by the time you get them.
As for the gossip mags - I don't really care what Jen/Tulisa/Brad/Mike/James... were/are/might be doing/seeing/thinking
stainer
Why dont we just stay at home and glue our eyes to the monitor. Yes all the information you need is on the internet. But i dont wanna be pushing buttons on a laptop/computer and then spill my cuppa tea on it. I prefer the magazine. Thanks
Nolswool1
Waste of money, I find everything I need now on line
Anonymous
Still prefer to read magazines, put it down and pick up where left off easily
bernierolls
since i am on the internet..i don't buy any overpriced magazines..i only read them in waiting rooms..
carina12
Yes is nice to read a real one sometimes
Lollipops
Amen to that! nothing quite compares to being able to turn actual pages between your fingers, on the other hand going digital helps the environment saving paper etc. and is more economically viable in my opinion, as well as this technology is more efficient than having to lug paper about with you.
bhealthybfit
Maybe I'm old-fashioned.......I still like to relax and read magazines!
frilly
I love real books & real magazines. The feel & smell of the paper. I am also developing a pet hate of magazines, we spend a lot of money to buy them then see a large part of an article or the pictures if we use our smart phone over a a small design on the page.
Not all of us have smart phones, we have paid for supposedly, a full magazine only to find many articles are not really complete for us unless we use the smart phone
I do not have a smart phone, believe it or not may people don't they either have an ordinary mobile phone or not even a mobile phone.
If magazines are going to enable me to only see part of the issue, maybe it should be at a lesser price. To perhaps pay $6 plus for a magazine and then need another instrument to see all of it . There should be a discount or separate publication for those of us that all is not available?
It is frustrating to be told so much is not available to us
frilly