Independent Publications Thrive in a “Dying Industry”
Printed niche publications such as Cherry Bombe and Hole&Corner are experiencing booming success. According to an independent-magazine subscription service called “Stack,” there was a 78% increase in revenue and a 76% increase amongst subscribers within the independent-magazine sector.
The Telegraph spoke to Sam Walton from Hole&Corner who stated “We felt there was a growing movement for well-crafted products and a holistic lifestyle, but there was nothing out there reflecting the scene in the way we do.” Hole&Corner pinpointed an empty space in the industry and filled it. One may say that its reader-base is narrow, no doubt, but the decline of the industry in general points to the fact that so narrow is the reader-base of gossip and general interest magazines as well. Those who enjoy exploring the topic of fine crafts and luxury products will buy the magazine not only out of interest, but because it is aesthetically and tactilely pleasing.
Perhaps the printed industry is not in as much distress as most people seem to think, and instead, there is simply a shift in readers’ mindset: if you are going to purchase a magazine, let it be one that is acute to your interests and let it be one that is printed on quality paper, allowing it to be revisited as if it were a book-- we can feed our need for fleeting celebrity gossip and beauty tips in a disposable way online.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/media/11478027/Why-a-new-wave-of-independent-magazines-are-thriving.html