Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

In this increasingly electronic information age, I'm curious as to how many people are still subscribing to their hometown newspapers or to printed magazines.

I know both of my kids...age 18 & 23...will likely never subscribe to a newspaper as they are more than willing to get all their news (local and national) from the internet. They also never spend any time watching local or national news broadcasts (although my son is an ESPN junkie).

I still subscribe to my local paper--the Albany, NY Times-Union. I also read the printed NYC papers (Daily News, Post, Times) on a regular basis--either picked up at a newsstand or at my workplace.

This is probably an "old guy" thing...but reading newspapers is a habit I picked up when I was very young and I find difficult to break. I have always thought of a newspaper as being one of the great bargains in the world--news, opinion, cartoons, sports (boxscores!), and features all neatly organized in one place on a daily basis. There are few things more peaceful to me than finding time in a quiet place (Adirondack lakeside, a pizza counter, a waiting room) and being able to be fully immersed in a paper.

Most magazines have, however, stopped coming into the house. Entertainment Weekly is a guilty pleasure I find hard to break, though. And I've got a professional subscription rate to Newsweek that is too good to stop. I cannot imagine how they are making any money off of me though. My wife subscribes to a few professional publications and magazines to which she regularly contributes.

She is telling me, however, on a regular basis, that magazines are closing shop right and left as they are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet in this day and age. All the magazines she does business with are ramping up their web presence.

And all this love for printed news comes from someone who has made his career in the electronic media. Go figure (and I have pretty much given up on local broadcast news...but still occasionally check out the all-news cable networks.)

Anyway...do you find yourselves cutting back on newspapers and magazines?

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I've cut *way* back on newspapers and magazines over the past two years. And several of the magazines that I do subscribe to are now delivered digitally.

* Newspapers that I subscribe to - None! All of the newspapers that I use to subscribe to (including my hometown paper) are now available online. What's the point?

* Magazines:
- Funny you should mention Entertainment Weekly. That's the only magazine that I currently subscribe to that's still delivered via the mail. And when my current subscription runs out (mid-July) that'll be it.
- PC MAGAZINE - I've subscribed to PC MAGAZINE since the early '90s. But their December 2008 issue was the last one that was distributed to the news stands. They still publish the mag, but *electronically* only! Since the subscription price (which is very reasonable) also allows me to browse an on-line archive of the magazines, I'll probably continue to subscribe to this magazine in its new "electronic only" form.
- Computerworld - Same as PC MAGAZINE; but the "price" of the subscription is *free*.

... And that's it for my subscriptions!

At one point in the 80's I subscribed to about a dozen mags:
* Byte
* MacWorld
* 80 Micro
* Creative Computing
* PC Magazine
* Sports Illustrated
* Time

Most are now gone, and I suspect that the ones that survive will soon follow the PC Magazine model.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Currently zero papers and zero magazines

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Does the quite frankly frightening number of series I have pulled for me monthly at the comic shop count?

No? To be fair, one of them is Judge Dredd Megazine, which in addition to four comic serials has some pretty darn good interviews, articles, and film reviews.

Aaaanyway, I'm considering subscribing to the Boston Sunday Globe, as the newsstand version has just jumped in price from $2.50 to $3.50, and I may be able to save money there. I don't come close to reading the whole thing - I do the crossword (it alternates between Henry Hook and Emily Cox/Henry Rathvon), clip the coupons, and read the Movies, Sports, and Ideas sections, in that order. I do worry that it may only have a couple months left, though, as Times Corp. has filed the necessary paperwork to shut it down in a couple months if it can't wring concessions out of the unions.

I've accidentally allowed my subscription to Analog: Science Fiction and Fact lapse, but do fully intend to catch up, buy some back issues, and start it up again. I really want the magazine that kicked off the careers of Asimov, Heinlein, Bova, etc., to stick around.

One thing I've noticed is that the British seem to do magazines a whole heck of a lot better than we do in the U.S. Every time I've had reason to pick one up, I've been impressed with how the magazine has a personality and has longish, interesting articles, rather than being like the American equivalents, which seem to be trying to mimic the web.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I've subcribed to Wild West magazine in recent years and sent in a card to start a new subscription. It hasn't shown up yet, but I guess you could say I subscribe to it.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still subscribe "Stereophile" and enjoy having some "bathroom reading material". On the other hand, I also read the audiophile e-zines and I usually print out something at the office if I want to read it in depth.

Otherwise, I kinda miss not subcribing to "Wired" magazine. I get my news online and hardly buy a newspaper anymore.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still pay for a print subscription to the Idaho Statesman. If nothing else, I need it for (a) grocery coupons and (b) paper for when I clean the cats' litterbox.

I receive several other periodicals but don't pay (separately) for them.

- National Rifleman (NRA monthly)
- California Lawyer (bar assn. related glossy Hello Jack Briggs! )
- CA Bar Journal (bar tabloid newspaper)

I also get glossy mags from the three colleges I attended (UCSC, UCSD, Santa Clara U.) and somehow got on the mailing list from Boise State U. as well. Let's see, there's also a monthly glossy mag. "Via" on travel/car issues from the local AAA and even a quarterly glossy mag. from one of my banks (Zion's Bank).

Geez, now that I think about it there's no wonder why I'm knee deep in magazines around this place.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I subscribe to the St. Pete Times. Gives me something to read while I eat breakfast or drink coffee in the morning, and it's mostly locally focused. The structure works much better than reading a website, and then I don't have to drag the computer to the breakfast table.

Besides, if you saw how much money my wife saves us on grocery shopping from the Sunday inserts and coupons, your jaw would hit the floor. Last week we spent $59.38 and saved $93.51.

I get a few free magazines for bathroom reading material.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I briefly subscribed to GEEK for keeping in the bathroom, but when my subscription ran out, I just let it run out. I'd have signed up for GQ or something, again, just for the toilet, but here's the problem:

I rent where I live. And magazine subscriptions often don't start being delivered for like 5 months! So by the time the magazine would start to arrive, I might be moving for all I know. The delay is just too long to make magazines practical for people who don't own where they live.

Oh, I do subscribe to Paste Magazine, but only for the music CD that it comes with. I throw the magazine itself away, because reading about music is, as the expression goes, like dancing about architecture. Recently Paste Magazine changed so that the CD is a download instead of a CD, and announced they were going out of business unless everyone sent them another dollar, so, I imagine Paste is toast. But the CD was nice while it lasted.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still subscribe to The Detroit News, but they recently reduced their home delivery to 3 days per week, and I am considering just canceling completely. The content of the paper is not what is used to be, and I am getting out of the habit of reading it in the morning now that we do not get it everyday.

I also get a couple photography magazines and Golf Digest. I need my bathroom reading material, too.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I don't subscribe but I continue to buy Fangoria and Video Watchdog. I've probably been reading Fangoria for almost 20 years and VW since the mid-1990's.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I buy the L.A. Times at the newsstand every day (the nice clerks always 'hold' a copy for me). I look at their web site, too, however the web site is incomplete, occasionally missing articles that actually appear in the printed paper. In fairness, the web site has a disclaimer, I think, stating it is not an exact duplication of the paper. Plus, there are no comics on the paper's web site. I guess I could hit each comic's individual web site, but they seem to lag about two week behind the actual papers (maybe because there is some sort of exclusivity deal with the papers?).

The only magazine is Entertainment Weekly, which I intend to continue. They still review 'classic' DVD releases, as well as the new, best-selling, releases. Just like week, or the week review, they had a nice review of 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle', in which they acknowledged earlier bootlegs, which I though was unusual for a (very) mainstream publication.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still get the newspaper thru the letterbox every morning, which I've been doing for years now.

And I do check the internet for more news after reading it.

I don't subscribe to magazines and the only ones I buy from the shops on a regular basis are movie related mags like Empire and Total Film.

A few years ago I would buy computer/hifi/home theater/DVD magazines but I can get all that info on the net.

Decades ago I used to arrive home from the shops with a whole bag full of magazines, including Starlog, Starburst, Fangoria, Cinefantastique, Cinefex, The Dark Side, What Video, Screen International, Monthly Film Bulletin and Kung Fu Monthly... aah memories.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still get Consumer Reports, Home Theater and Sound & Vision, but I don't know why. Old habits I guess. I let my photography and woodworking subs run out and have no intention of getting them again.

I get the Sunday paper mostly for the flyers and comics. I only read about 50% of the actual Sunday paper.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I stopped reading the paper 8 years ago when I stopped working my full time job.
I worked for the P.O. and would buy a paper nearly every day to read at lunch time.

We get Rolling Stone delivered but I don't know why.
It is addressed to my wife but neither of us ever paid or subscribed to it.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Dropped our local paper in January (they stripped out about half the content and then raised the price). Their online version sucks. Poorly put together and it's subscription for parts of it. Of course there's no way to tell until you're halfway through a story then, (to continue reading this story you must be a subscriber, blah blah blah...).

Online I read the Seattle Times almost daily. The interesting part is most of the subscriber-only stories locally show up in the Seattle paper anyway, so I'm pretty much done locally.

Local TV new is also worthless. Haven't watched it in years.

Only subscription I have is for Time magazine, and that's because I got an incredibly cheap renewal offer. Don't remember the terms exactly but it's for 85 issues and don't think it was more than $20.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I'm not a newspaper person, but my wife is so we get the daily. But I'm a magazine person and enjoy several subscriptions. I read a variety of blogs and webzines, too. But for me there's still no substitute for a physical magazine. Even when a Kindle-like device emerges that does high-res, full color magazine subscriptions, it won't allow my wife and I to read two magazines at the same time, and won't be a full replacement.

But I see the challenges. I'm boggling over Newsweek's attempt at transformation into a high-end editorial magazine, a few steps closer to The Atlantic or The Economist. And I've read how Wired is 50% off of its revenues.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I used to get the paper 6-7 times a week at the news stand. I'd rotate between the S.F Chronical, S.J Mercury and Hayward Daily Review. A different one depending on the day of the week. Now I only get it when I go out for breakfast on Sat/Sunday morning. The only Magazine I currently subscribe to is Widescreen Review. I do pick up a classic car magazine or two every now and again. Hemmings Motor News will always be around.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

No newspapers, but I still do get several magazines.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

They cut home delivery of my Detroit Free Press to three days a week, and it's killing me. Yeah, I read it online, but it's not the same.

Magazines I receive:

Newsweek
Entertainment Weekly
The New Yorker
Reader's Digest
Sports Illustrated
Family Handyman
Consumer Reports

Just recently let Rolling Stone and National Geographic lapse.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Still get the local rag (KC Star) and several HT related magazines.

On-line articles tend to be shorter and lack depth and I can't sit back in an easy chair and read a magazine on the internet.

I have yet to find a magazine or newpaper related website that is as in-depth or as simple to read as the hard copy.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

We subscribe to the Sunday paper but don't fully 'read' it. I'll flip through it and read whatever I might find interesting. I asked my wife recently if we should cancel it but she really likes flipping through the ads at breakfast on Sunday so it remains. I get my news from local broadcast, radio, Google news, and I'll put CNN on while exercising.

As for magazines, I subscribe to Consumer Reports. I used to get PC Magazine, but, as someone mentioned above, it went all digital earlier this year and I now have no use for it. If I wanted a digital magazine I wouldn't even bother paying, I'd visit the website. I tried to transfer my subscription to Maximum PC but it's been six months and a dozen emails and they just keep jerking me around.

It's a terrible thing seeing all of these newspapers go under. Whenever I hear of one I visit it's website and look the the retrospectives of it's history. But I think we are long past the days when my dad would come home for work and sit in the living room and read the paper cover to cover.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I still have a sub to the local newspaper because I'm not coordinated enough to deal with my laptop while I'm in the stall at work (TMI, I know ).
I still have subs to Home Theater, Sound and Vision, This Old House and Consumer Reports magazines.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

This is an exception for me: I quit my CR magazine subscription because the online service is so much better for me. I realized that I don't need CR except when I want to research an upcoming purchase. Then, I want to go online and immediately get the information, rather than searching my magazines and hope I have the issue I need.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I stopped subscribing to newspapers and magazines quite a few years ago. My hometown newspaper (the Rocky Mountain News) died this year, and I have no use for the likes of the LA Times. I have fond memories of the music and equipment reviews in the old Stereo Review, but the current Sound and Vision is nowhere near its equal. I can get much more useful information over the Net. The same goes for TV news, which is useful only for live coverage of big breaking news events (and I don't mean high speed car chases). Some view the death of newspapers as some sort of crisis, but I view it as an evolutionary change. Embrace the future already.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I don't like video/TV news as it takes too long to get detailed information. (A pet peeve of mine, and growing, is CNN's use of video news. But because it's free I can't get properly ticked about it.)

I still subscribe to the city paper (Phila Inquirer) partially because if the detailed info, partially because I don't want to see it go under, and mostly for the local sport news. Go Phillies!

I only get Time delivered, I like it, but everything I need is free on-line. It's mostly a hold over from when my daughter sold subscriptions for the Girl Scouts. It does serve the bathroom factor though.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I get my news from internet web sites and I also do not like the videos for basically the same reasons I don't watch the news on TV. First is the ads. Second is too much fluff. When reading I can skip stuff I already know or don't feel is important. The third reason I don't like the videos, is I work in an open office environment and I don't want everyone else knowing that I am browsing the web. Reading is quite.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

I try to pick up the Sunday newspaper but most of it goes unread. I blame my kids for this, they take up a lot of my leisure time. I don't subscribe to any magazines but buy Cemetery Dance and Horror Hound off the rack when I see them. Once again, I used to read more but blame the kids. When they get older (they're 1.5 and 3.5) I may find time again but I'm out of the habit for now.

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Don't worry, Bob. You can get back to us in about 20 years!

Take it from someone whose kids are 18 & 23!

Re: Who still subscribes to newspapers/magazines?

Hear, hear! You and I disagree a bit about Star Wars, but I'm onboard with the rest of your posts.

Got my Wild West magazine in the mail today.