Category / 100 Words

by Magdiaries

You’ve come a long way, baby

I fell into the magazine business in 2005 when I attended conferences to learn about ‘Web 2.0’.

I heard gems such as, “Stop holding your stories back for the print edition – publish web first”. “How are we going to monetise our websites now we’ve given all our content away for free?”. Even (shock horror) “Does our magazine brand need a website?”.

Almost 10 years on, and I’ve seen a complete turnaround in the messages gleaned from these conferences. The industry has been through tough times, but is now positive, focused, determined and perhaps most importantly, innovative.

Put simply, I love it.

Amy Duffin | Communications Manager, FIPP



Grub Street Journal
by Magdiaries

Hopelessly addicted

I blame my mother.

Magazines; glossies, Sundays, weeklies, monthlies, she bought them all and I would voraciously read and reread them all ignoring Granny’s tut, tuts at the explicit nature of a 1970s Cosmo encouraging all kinds of racy behaviour and obscure yoga poses.

I love the feel, the smell the tangible thing that is a magazine waiting to be opened and explored. Magazines are an affordable piece of luxury transporting us to somewhere more exotic, more learned or just somewhere where cakes always rise and house plants thrive.

I am a magazine addict and I blame my ma’.

Mandy Rhodes | Managing Director, Holyrood Communications



Grub Street Journal
by Magdiaries

Create something important with dead trees

As a designer who comes from the world of web design, entering the world of print was not only extremely liberating, but a very deliberate move to create work that had more permanence.

That was my somewhat selfish desire when I created 8 Faces. However, that spurred a passion for making magazines, and that has now led to Lagom. It’s important to create something important with dead trees and we place a lot of importance on high production values.

Print is far from dead. Ironically, it’s the creators of digital products such as myself who have helped reinvigorate the medium.

Elliot Jay Stocks | Co-founder & Co-editor, Lagom magazine

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Grub Street Journal
by Magdiaries

Market research tells us to be optimistic

It’s an exciting time to be researching how consumers are using magazine media today.

I’m finding in the UK and all over the world the same things emerging from published research.

Consumers are adapting enthusiastically to the new digital forms of publishing, incorporating them seamlessly into their daily lives. Yet the old truths about printed magazines still hold. People love to handle them, to use them for information, for relaxation. They still trust the editor’s curation to inspire them.

Magazine brands with all their platforms, and the multiplier effect that creates, have more potential than ever before.

I am optimistic.

Guy Consterdine | CEO, Guy Consterdine Associates



Grub Street Journal
by Magdiaries

Aye, we’re doomed

100 words on the state of magazines?

Ye ken I can do it in one: DOOMED!

But if you want the full hundred, let’s add context from the day ‘job’.

Profits are up, but only because of deep cuts (sorry, ‘savings’) –  sales are falling, page yield is down, online ads only sell when they intrude, bright, shiny digital products are getting investment (but showing precious little return).

Everyone is working harder, everyone is stressed, no one can see their job improving. That’s the crux – a demoralised workforce that could earn more somewhere else. And they will.

Aye. We’re doomed.

Private Frazer | Undertaker, Private Frazer’s Doomed Magazines



Grub Street Journal