Newsweek wants a share of the pie that The Economist has always enjoyed which is a small but loyal readership that does not mind paying the expensive subscription rate. So it decided to raise its subscription rate this year to purposefully drive away poor readers like me who can't afford it as part of a grand scheme to make the affluent ones stay and target the wealthier group as new or potential subscribers. This is in an effort to cut printing and postage costs and increase advertising rates. I think there are more reasons that it won't work than it will though.
For one, Newsweek is unlike The Economist in terms of content and reporting style. The Economist writes about serious intelligent stuff that only a few would bother to read (or can understand) while Newsweek appeals more to the masses with its easy writing and topics. Sure it recently changed its layout and style. The pages are now filled with opinions on important global issues and news that the regular reader is tempted go back to the cover to check if he's holding another magazine. The new look does not only require a lot of getting used to, it also screams uncertainty and nervousness. It forgets that it's not only about justifying the price hike by way of excellent or intelligent reporting and content which are important but not so much when the result is forced, unoriginal and has zero appeal. Besides, with today's economic climate the rich are no longer that different from you and me. Who's willing to pay an amount for something mediocre when one can add a little more and get the best? That's the new Newsweek for you. Thanks but no thanks.
Still I owe it to them for forcing me take one subscription off my self-imposed financial burden, making me US$220 richer. At least something good came out of that great plan to save the ailing news magazine. Except that I was the one who took the benefit. For now.
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5 comments:
well, shoj, u got good insight. Such an awakening, awaken from the reality of economic recession that weakens that faith of avid reader to their favorite magazine.=P
at last nag update na din, when is the next article?
howcome i don't get updates on this lately?
Well said. May I add that I hate the new fonts used? The narrow sans serif typeface used for some headlines and the serifed gothic typeface used for many headlines and some body copy? Used together with the images (someone on top loves bleed), somehow distracting. It doesn't help that Newsweek retained the usual roman typeface (always best for bulk text in tiny print) for the lengthier articles. The style inconsistencies contribute to the little voice in the head that keeps nagging something's not quite right with the layouts. But that's just me, I guess it's a love it or hate it makeover.
I don't know much about fonts and how they work in prints but I know enough to agree with you that there's something not right about Newsweek's. To me, it felt like the words were too small, or crowded. And they're going text-heavy now with lesser pictures. But here's the news. I renewed my subscription after all, hehe. I wrote to their CS to complain about the crazy price hike and was told that someone would get back to me. No one did. Few weeks after that, I saw a magazine insert offering "special offer" to old subscribers at only $145 plus 16 bonus issues. So I guess their plan is a fail. Oh back to fonts. You might find this interesting: http://tinyurl.com/nw7aat
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