Magazine cover dates vs. actual dates

[Anonymous]

Can someone from CTT please explain something to me that I've always wondered about: Why is it that magazines are always published with a date on the cover that has not yet arrived, and is often not even close. I noticed that the March issue of CTT was out in January, which, as far as I can tell, is not really close to March. I mean, at this point, I am expecting to receive my October 2005 issue next week [:D]

But seriously, why do magazines do that? I noticed when I was in high school that the U.S. News and World Report magazine that showed up in the mail each Monday actually had the next Monday's date printed on the cover.

Please, Mr. and/or Mrs. Site Administrator, the forum voice for CTT, please do tell us why, oh why, does you calendar run so far in advance? [?][?][?]

Thanks

[lionelsoni]

The date printed on a magazine is the date when the retailer is supposed to remove it from the newsstand. You can see that, if they printed the date when it is supposed to go onto the newsstand, the retailer would have to know for each magazine when the next issue is due to come out. This would be hard enough for magazines that are published regularly every week, every two weeks, every month, every quarter, etc.; but it would be especially difficult with magazines like CTT that are published irregularly.

[Bob Keller]

The boss will have to answer that one. All I know is that I'm working on reviews for September's issue!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Lionelsoni !!!
I'm not sure if you are definitely right, but I am guessing that you have inside knowledge. In any event, your answer seems to be functionally true and it sure makes a lot of sense. So, thanks for answering.

[laz 57]

One more tidbit since we are talking about the CTT magazine, why can't we get 12 issues instead of nine? I'd even pay more.
laz57