Non Subscribers?

[Bergie]

In regards to both the newsstand buyer concern, as well as the concern that non-Trains magazine subscribers will no longer be able to access the Trains News Wire, I'm quoting an e-mail that our Publisher, Kevin Keefe, sent a reader last week. I think he sums it up very well:

"I respect your opinion on this matter as it relates to newsstand and hobby-shop purchasers of the magazine. I understand that some readers will find this to be an inconvenience.

However, we have provided this high-quality railroad news coverage at no charge for several years. We have made a substantial financial investment in the writing and editing of all this news, and we also plan to make major improvements in the months and years to come. We cannot simply give this away any longer. So we've decided to make our news coverage a benefit to subscribers, a bonus for making their commitment to receive the magazine.

I should emphasize that all the other features of Trainsmag.com will be available to all visitors. This also represents a substantial commitment of time and effort by our staff, and we are happy to provide it.

Thanks for hearing me out. --Kevin"

Kevin P. Keefe
Vice President-Editorial, Publisher
Kalmbach Publishing Co.

[Anonymous]

I actually keep back issues of CTT and FSM because of the advertisements. The articles and photo's are great, but a lot of times I need to find a vendor for a particular item and it's easier to use the ad index in back issues to find stuff like that.

Would it be possible or would Kalmbach be interested in producing a subscription only electronic version of the publication? You would use your account to access a restriced part of the server and read a pdf or html version of the publication. If I want/need hard copy I can still buy an issue OTC at a local newstand or hobby shop? This saves me shelf space as well as allowing for a potentially searchable version of the periodical? I would assume you have to produce the elctronic version to send to the printer anyway?

[nblum]

Subscribed to CTT since before issue Numero Uno almost twenty years ago, routinely re-up for three years a shot (no worrying about green bananas yet, here ;). Look forward to the additional web content, but like many others, there's nothing like hard copy as yet. It may be many, many years or even decades before flexible, lightweight, portable high resolution screens become available at reasonable cost. CTT helped create the revolution and increased interest in O gauge three rail, and they're keeping it alive right now.

As for those who like to buy at the newstand or hobby shop, more power to you, but it's not discrimination to make web content only available to subscribers. It's just business. The Wall Street Journal does the same. I'm sure if CTT makes web content only subscriptions available, there will be very few takers, but it might be worth a try.

[Anonymous]

Hi chuckn,

Yes, CTT is 100% electronic until it reached the printing press, but right now we do not have safeguards and mechanisms in place, nor enough of a paying audience, to be able to sell entire digital versions of print magazines.

Neil Besougloff
editor

[Anonymous]

"but right now we do not have safeguards and mechanisms in place, nor enough of a paying audience, to be able to sell entire digital versions of print magazines."


That's too bad. An electronic form of subscription with a price tag that passed along some of the savings from not having to print and snail mail it might increase circulation numbers.

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chuckn

"but right now we do not have safeguards and mechanisms in place, nor enough of a paying audience, to be able to sell entire digital versions of print magazines."


That's too bad. An electronic form of subscription with a price tag that passed along some of the savings from not having to print and snail mail it might increase circulation numbers.

I've researched this on more than one occassion for our company. It always comes down to three things:

1) The up-front cost to work with a company that offers a seamless final product for the consumer is rather large.

2) We feel that only a very small percentage of our readers would be interested. After all, you can't take your computer to your workshop/layout, unless you have a laptop. Even if you do, it's not the same.

3) Figures that we've uncovered from other publishers that have tried it typically show nice growth in year one, and an absolute nosedive in year two. Think about it; a printed magazine which arrives in your mail is front and center for that day, and then you most likely stumble upon it a few times after that (not to mention the times when you actually seek it out). An electronic version, on the other hand, would be on our site. You would most likely receive an e-mail notification alerting you that the new issue is available. You'd most likely check it out after receiving that initial notice. However, after that it sort of out of site, out of mind. You're not going to stumble upon it, you need to proactively seek it out. I think that's why a lot of publishers have experienced the drop off in numbers in year two. When it comes time to renew, I suspect a lot of readers think about how much they've actually used the electronic version. If it's not a significant amount, I presume they move back to the print version.

Plus, at the end of a long day of looking at my computer montior all day, the last thing I want to do is go home and look at computer screen some more. I'd personally rather grab a magazine and lay on the couch. The old laptop on my chest just wouldn't be the same.

With all that being said, I'm not ruling it out in the future. That's just where we are right now.

Thanks for your suggestions. We appreciate it.

Erik

[waltrapp]

QUOTE: Plus, at the end of a long day of looking at my computer montior all day, the last thing I want to do is go home and look at computer screen some more. I'd personally rather grab a magazine and lay on the couch. The old laptop on my chest just wouldn't be the same.

Yes, I would think 95% or more of subscribers would agree with that!!! I'm in systems and I don't even have a PC in my house - that's how much I want to avoid them after staring at them all day. I head to the library for forum access.

I've kept an extensive personal index for 20 years now of all articles and PICTURES that I might want to refer back to some day. I often refer back to 15 year old mags for things. Unless on-line issues would be perpetually available I sure wouldn't be interested.

I like paper.

- walt

[rlplionel]

Thanks, Neil, for responding to my original post, wherever it went. [:D] This info will give myself, and hopefully other subscribers, something to think about when it's time to renew.

Robert
http://home.surewest.net/rlplionel/Robert.htm

[Anonymous]

As one who worked in the print publishing industry for many years, and who now is involved primarily with on-line publishing on a daily basis, I would strongly agree with the points Erik presented.

With electronic media, the reader either receives, absorbs, and digests the information almost immediately, or it is quickly forgotten about and eventually overlooked entirely. The message either gets through in short order or it is often enough lost altogether. In part, it's the natural result of the information overload society we live in today, when almost nobody can even begin to keep up with all that's out there. That works fine if you're searching for specific information--having a problem with your CW-80 transformer, for example--but it doesn't work well at all if you're engaging in leisure-time reading simply to acquire information or as a source of entertainment and relaxation.

I much prefer a printed magazine that I can pick-up, browse through, and read at any convenient time. I generally keep the most recent issues in the bottom part of a nightstand beside my bed so I can relax and essentially read myself to sleep in the evenings. Works like a charm! Or, I may choose to read some of the material while I'm reclining on my Lazy-Boy or stretched-out on the sofa. Again, not exactly an ideal situation for most forms of electronic presentation. Then, of course, there's always the bathroom, where I assume a lot of serious reading gets done.

"FineScale Railroader" is/was one of those publications that a few years back began offering an on-line, downloadable, PDF version of their publication (free) to supplement their printed edition. The result is that both the printed publication and the on-line version suffered to such an extent that the once-fine and respected publication is now virtually without anything but a very small core audience, if it even still exists at all (it has been a long time since I visited their site, and I think the only print material they offer now is one or two theme-specific "annuals."

I stipped by my local B&N this afternoon and picked up the latest issue of "Garden Railways." It's here calling to me now, and I know I'll have some fun reading to look forward to later this evening and beyond when I retire to the bedroom to finish off the work week. And over the next week or so, every word in that magazine will be read--some several times over--and every ad will be looked at to see what's being offered, and how much it might cost. And it sure is awfully convenient to see an ad for Trainworld and then scan the ad for St. Aubin Station, or some other place, to compare prices and what's available. You can do that with an electronic medium, of course, but not without more work and lost time.