Singlehandedly Saving the Print Industry

Before I get to the main topic of this post I just wanted to give you a quick FYI. I don't have the same address that I had at this time last year. I know it is a bit presumptuous to think that you might want to send me a Christmas card. If you do want to send me a card and need my address, just send me an email and I'd be happy to oblige. I got cards from the Walburgers and Watkins' today as a matter of fact.

If you are a devourer of media like I am then you are surely aware of the fact that traditional print media is going through a bit of a crisis. I am by no means a media expert but very simply, people don't read the newspaper like they used, and people don't advertise in the classifieds like they used to. Instead people like their news instantly online for free and advertising on websites like Craigslist. This accompanied with new e-readers, has affected traditional publishing This change in the way that media is consumed has caused the entire industry to reevaluate the way they do things, and especially how they make a profit.

From an early age I've been a reader (despite the fact that I proudly own and watch TV) whether it's books, comics, newspapers or magazines, I love to accumulate knowledge through reading. If I really like a book I'll stay up late into the night until I find out what happens. I also love magazines. I had an SI for Kids and WWF magazine subscription when I was young.

So let me take you back a ways to Winter of 1997. I am with my family driving home from Utah and I need something to read. I pick up a copy of Men's Health, and I am hooked. I enjoy the articles about staying fit, eating right and finding adventure. In fact I learned something from Men's Health that I tell all of my friends just before they get married. By the time I got home from my mission Men's Health had sort of changed its focus and was mostly focused on fitness. I just didn't like it as much. I needed something else to read.

I am pretty embarrassed to say that my roommates and I had an apartment subscription to Stuff and Maxim magazine. In my defense I was 21 and not nearly as mature or refined as I am now. Looking back I think wow, how trashy.

Today I subscribe to five magazines. All of which I enjoy for different reasons.

1. The Liahona -In Swedish.

The Liahona is is the Church's monthly magazine that focuses on the non English speaking world. I subscribe to it in Swedish, because it gives me a chance to practice my Swedish every month, plus there is a section of the magazine that tells about the news of the church in Sweden. It's really fun when I read one of the articles and recognize some of the people I knew when I was a missionary there. I have thought about writing an article for the Swedish edition but have never done it. Maybe I should.

2. GQ

I have to give my brother in law Don credit for introducing me to GQ. He had a subscription when he and my sister were first married and I would read it when I was at thier house. As I got older I actually looked to Gentleman's Quarterly for ideas on what to wear and that sort of thing. I find myself looking forward to the sartorial column every month. It's a pretty classy magazine.

3. Esquire

One day I was flying back to Washington DC and I bought and issue of Esquire to read on the plane. It happened to have this article in it. It may be the best article I have ever read. The article tells the story of Chechen terrorists who took over a school in Russia. It is an amazing article and well worth your time reading it. Esquire also had my favorite writer Chuck Klosterman as a monthly columnist so you know I was. And as much as I enjoy the letters to the editor, the "Rules Every Man Should Live By", or the celebrity profiles, its the feature articles I enjoy the most. On occasion they are actually moving. I dare you to read this and not be moved by this powerful story. You might not expect something like this from Esquire, but that is why I read it. In my humble opinion the writing is excellent. I enjoy it so much that I got subscriptions for both Don and Marc. Jennifer intercepted the Jessica Simpson issue. Sorry Marc.

4. Men's Journal

Probably the coolest magazine I subscribe to. Men's Journal is an adventure magazine, that reviews gear and tells stories of trips that I would love to go on, and just need the time, and means to accomplish. Whether it is mountain climbing in Asia or river rafting in Utah, Men's Journal takes you there with fantastic stories and photographs. On more than one occasion I have called Don or Marc, and said hey we need to do this. We never have, but at least the thought is there. Men's Journal is a magazine that any red blooded man would enjoy. Where some of the other magazines might have questionable content occasionally, Men's Journal is all age appropriate.

5. Rolling Stone

I am not an audiophile. I love listening to music but my taste is pretty well dictated by what I hear on the radio. When I listen to my iPod I don't even hear the latest music. Back in college I wanted to improve my taste in music so I subscribed to Rolling Stone. I miss the days of the oversized magazine but that changed to its new size about 18 months ago. I have a love/hate relationship with RS. I love it because it's feature articles are outstanding. I read an article on the War on Drugs, that I made copies of it and have held on to for years. I think I even sent it to Kat's dad. If I didn't, I meant to. The problem with RS and me is that it leans (an understatement of the century to the left) and I lean to the right. I started playing a game every time I start reading a new issue, I count how long it takes me to completely disagree with a statement in the magazine. On average it takes about four seconds. In addition I am annoyed how in every issue they mention how the music market is shrinking. No duh? People get there music digitally, people produce there own music, they have cut out the fat in the recording industry. But I venture to say that now people have access to more music than in any time in history. Virtually everytime I read RS, I think how much I wish there was a cool magazine like this that presented the conservative point of view. If it does exist I haven't seen it.

So those are my magazines. Sometimes I'll be playing a trivia game and a person will look at me and ask how I know that. I figure it comes down to two things, I read a lot and I have a knack for remembering random facts. That is what I love about reading, the chance to learn new things. One of my simple pleasures in life, is sitting by the pool or at the beach and reading a magazine. Sure I may never listen to the songs they review, or be able to afford the $3,000 duffle bag but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy learning about them.

I used to subscribe to Details, and Men's Fitness both of which on further review were a little "Comme Ci, Comme Ça"


If you have any suggestions on any magazines or books I am missing out on let me know. If you want to borrow any of my old magazines, I am happy to loan them to you.