Out of Print, Out of Mind

Another printed product, Vibe magazine, has bit the dust. According to minonline.com, the publication that debuted in 1993 with the backing of music legend Quincy Jones, perished under different ownership due to a slump in print advertising and the ongoing recession. Jones told another pub that he plans to buy the brand back and take it online.

Of all the reasons that are bandied around in support of maintaining the printed edition, No. 1 is visibility. If you cannot justify the hard copy production of a title, it says here that "going online" isn't going to do you a damn bit of good.

I used to receive an outdoors magazine at home, targeting consumers of a certain product. The mag wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but the photography was excellent and I would peruse the articles here and there. A few months ago, the editor's note stated that in order to save on production costs, the magazine was turning to the Internet only. I have not and will not follow it online because, frankly, I won't remember to do so. Out of sight, out of mind.

Of the magazines I've subscribed to currently or in the past, very rarely have I visited their Websites to read content. Maybe I'll receive an e-mail offer that drags me to the site, but it's often a short-lived experience. Then again, when your inbox is burgeoning with dozens of other e-missives, it's easy for that notification to get chucked out with the spam.

I've always felt that the best reminder of a magazine's latest issue is the pub itself sitting on the edge of my kitchen island. That's where my wife leaves it, without fail, and when I'm ready to read the the issue, it's there waiting for me...without fail. That consistency keeps me coming back. And I do look at the ads and sometimes purchase items based upon the offers. Online...nope.