The number of magazine heading into oblivion seems to be picking up speed faster than the Space Shuttle.
A friend sent me an e-mail citing mediafinder.com which said 525 magazines disappeared in 2008 and 40 already have folded in 2009. If you insist on the glass being half full, 591 vanished in 2007 so the trend is positive.
“The regional magazines category suffered the largest decline in 2008, losing 33 titles. The travel category lost 18 titles. The next largest category losers were home and automotive, both losing 17 publications each in 2008,” the email to me said.
I can’t find the story on mediafinder, but the news isn’t as bad as it sounds.
Mediafinder reported that 335 magazines were started in 2008 and tracks a total 75,000 titles. By my back-of-the napkin calculation and that birth/death ratio means they’ll be no magazines left in 394.73 years (loss of 190 a year divided into 75,000). How’d you like to work for the last magazine ever!?
I could not find any older stats for the purposes of comparison, but 525 sounds like a lot. Remember, the rate for new magazines failures is only exceeded by the rate for new restaurants.
I did find is a wiki for defunct magazines. It’s not comprehensive, but it is interesting.
7 comments On World will be out of Magazines in 395 Years
Given all of the recent scenarios, more free media on the web, bad economy, it’s not surprising we have had a rough couple of years. We have some Darwinism in effect right now, if you don’t have a loyal following, times are definately tough. I think these numbers will level off, no way will print or magazines every completely die. At least there is going to have to be much better technology than trying to read on the web before that ever happens. Survival of the fittest is in effect right now, not always a bad thing, the strong will survive.
Indeed, it is a tough time and you recognize I was kidding about the end of magazines. Let’s hope those numbers, if extraordinary, level off. I could not find any numbers for failures during good times but I probably did not look hard enough.
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I once received an overflowing box full of magazines, each targeted to my area{s} of interest. When I discovered that I could retrieve the same and even more information via internet, I dropped my magazine subscriptions saving a ton of money.
I am not surprised at the demise of magazines and would be surprised that they don’t disappear faster than a glass of beer at a Texas chili tasting cook off.
Mags still appeal to a lot of people. The defection of advertisers to the Internet is the game-changer. The feel and portability of magazine is what makes then attractive but the business model that makes them go is falling apart.
How many blogs failed in 2008?
Damned if I know…what is a failed blog?
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