Magazines used to make me swoon. I grew up on a steady diet of Sassy and YM and Seventeen. When I graduated college, I only wanted to work in magazines, and I spent my twenties and thirties writing for a slew of them. It wasn’t just how beautiful the print mags were to thumb through with their four-color photos and expert aspirational articles, it was the graphic fonts and the feeling that you were slipping into another world entirely when you opened the back and front covers.
It occurred to me the other day that I rarely read magazines anymore. Part of this is because I read so much online, part of this is because I’m always writing and need to rest my eyes. It made me vow to read more of them, even if some in publishing have question their survival.
The news in November that glossy powerhouse Conde Nast was laying off another 5 percent of its workforce, or 270 more positions, was a gut punch. Over the last decade magazines have continued to grow slimmer as ad dollars disappear, so much so that Vogue’s September issue wasn’t anywhere near as hefty as in years past. It had 356 ad pages compared to 427 ad pages in 2009. (Honestly, from the weight, it felt like less.)
But it isn’t all bad news. Magazines turned a profit for the first time in years in 2021, reports the Wall Street Journal, and their circulation is actually growing. Sure, maybe some of their digital sites are making money for them, but still, they’re finding a way to survive. Perfect timing considering so many of us are quitting social media (like
Emma Gannon
who writes thoughtfully of her departure in a recent post “Goodbye, Instagram”) and many more are suffering online fatigue. The last thing I want to do when I get up from my desk is open an iPad, and it’s made me long for the quieter format of a magazine.
The other day I went to Barnes and Noble to peruse the magazine section. I still subscribe to the New Yorker and New York magazine, mostly because I am a New Yorker and I like to read about the exciting goings on in the city as I live out my quiet life in my cozy little suburb. But what about women’s magazines? Travel glossies? Home design mags? Does anyone still go to the newsstand and buy them?
It’s not hard to see how decimated the magazine industry is when you stand at the Barnes and Noble’s magazine shelves. Dozens of titles are shoved messily together, many now quarterly or annual releases rather than monthly ones. Think: O magazine, Oprah’s glossy that debuted in 2000, now only comes out four times a year. Same with Coastal Living (one of my old faves), Magnolia, and Elle Decor (though that is 8 issues a year). Allure and In Style, required reading at one point in my twenties, doesn’t even print copies; both went digital in 2022. And rest in peace to the print version of Entertainment Weekly. The big Conde Nast and Meredith titles (Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Glamour, Vanity Fair, Town and Country, Real Simple) are thin wisps of what they once were.
Still, there IS more good news: AI may bring back the magazine. It may sound counterintuitive but hear me out. While the media industry is buzzing with anxiety over artificial intelligence decimating journalism, that’s what it is: Jitters. Writers are an anxious bunch, but everyone needs to relax. In 2021, the magazine industry added 300,000 subscriptions after falling to all-time lows during the 2020 pandemic year.
As we’ve seen with AI, it has its limitations, and while I don’t doubt that AI could put out a magazine with listicles and general articles about various subjects, it will never be as voicy and clever and relatable as real writers. It’s like a substack newsletter about one person’s love of sweets vs. a magazine listing three bakeries with good cupcakes. One is voicy and one is factual. I believe that voicy authors like one of my longtime faves Joanna Goddard who writes
BigSalad
and magazine editors who increasingly strengthen and hone their voices of their glossies will gain prominence as time marches on. If AI articles begin to proliferate, people will go in search of authentic essays, true reportage and thoughtful commentary. That is what magazines have been providing, and what they will continue to offer.
In the end, I left Barnes and Noble carrying eight different magazines home, including a travel magazine called AFAR, which is currently the fastest growing magazine in the U.S. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve slowly enjoyed each and every one. Here’s what I found interesting. Editors are operating and plugging away on these print editions like it’s 1999 — the mags are still slick with good writing and design, even if their ad departments have been left scratching their heads about how to keep them financially sustainable. This made me happy.
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You know what else made me happy? The British edition of Harper’s Bazaar. The Brits have a way of covering culture and style that I vibe with and I always buy this one if I see it.
I also ended up subscribing to a bunch:
-Real Simple. It makes me feel organized!
-Travel and Leisure. I prefer this one over CN Traveler because their trips feel doable while still aspiration. Plus, I love when they feature authors writing about their life-changing trips.
-Vanity Fair. This one hits all of the pop culture notes for me. It will always be the epitome of cool.
-Better Homes & Gardens. I like what the editor is doing with this one. It has my attention.
And honestly, I do love Vogue. I resubscribed to that one, too. But I feel like I still need to get a feel for all of the different titles again. It’s been awhile, and some have evolved identities. For other mags, I’ve changed and grown out of them (think: Cosmo). But either way, it seems the perfect time to bring back magazines into my life.
Do you still read magazines? Which ones? Be honest. I’m ready to deal with my broken heart if you say none.
Also, Happy New Year!!! I hope you have an inspired 2024.
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