Everyone knows the difficulty that publishers of periodicals are having these days, even those of us whose involvement is limited to subscription. The publication schedule changes from weekly to bi-weekly, from monthly to quarterly, even while the price of subscription rises. There are several forces behind this unhappy change, some probably more forceful than others.
Some people say the increasingly mobile lifestyle of American and European readers makes electronic reading more convenient than print. Since periodicals are quite portable, easily rolled up and stuck into convenient side pockets of roll-on luggage, I don’t think that explanation is very convincing, especially since print does not require recharging, wireless connections, the purchase of special equipment, or anything other than the simple desire to read and the willingness to turn a page manually. And there is the satisfaction of possession. You buy a magazine and it’s yours. You can keep it, throw it away; discard it or pass it on. The infatuation with technology and a perceived need to keep up with it is a far more likely explanation.
Other people offer the green explanation—just think of all the trees electronic publishing is saving. Well, not really. In South Georgia where I live, tree farming is a major industry. There are people here who own thousands of acres of pine trees. If you’re a tree-lover as I am, this is a happy state of affairs. As trees are harvested, seedlings are planted and cared for until they mature. Moreover, the need for healthy trees assures pretty fair treatment of soil, air, and water. South Georgians enjoy life surrounded by trees; it’s one reason I wouldn’t want to live in a city. Concrete forests are not a desirable substitute, nor would I want to exchange oxygen for carbon monoxide. The paper made from trees is biodegradable (it makes excellent garden compost, by the way), while the plastic housing of all that electronic equipment (not to mention those toxic batteries) is emphatically not. But most importantly, tree farming is a business. As the demand for paper decreases, that business becomes less profitable and those thousands of acres of trees are sold, stripped, and used for other purposes—like development. How green is that?
So print publishers of all types are having a bad time, and that’s especially true for publishers of Catholic periodicals. Even the hugely successful Ignatius Press lost a lot of money last year because (so I’m informed) of its periodical Homiletics and Pastoral Review. They’ve had to increase the HPR subscription price by thirty percent just to keep publishing it. Others depend solely on donations, and when that funding source is lost, they fold. Loyal readers should pay attention. Our periodicals are dying. StAR, Dappled Things, et al, need our support. (Do people know that DT is the only Catholic literary publication in the country?) Catholic writers, poets, artists, all know well the shrinking number of publication venues, the increasing competition for acceptance. Too many are turning to secular venues and are forced to tailor their submissions accordingly.
So, now for some good news: there’s a new Catholic periodical coming. The Pilgrim Journal’s driving force is a young woman from Yale, a history Ph.D., and she’s asking for submissions of art, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction that relate to the contemporary American Catholic experience. It’s worth taking a look at the website: www.pilgrimjournal.com.
I believe that as long as we use our bodies to mediate knowledge to our minds, the printed word will remain the standard for doing so.
Incidentally, only a few hours before you posted this I subscribed to Dappled Things.
Just as when Television hit the scene and people were guessing the fate of radio, we are currently in the stage of seeing where the printed word will end up. My guess is that it will remain prevalent, although to a lesser degree.
In any case, I hope people will see the importance of supporting worthy publications such as St. Austin Review and Dappled Things.
I’d like to believe that, Christian, but so much that I–and everyone–once believed would never happen is now commonplace. And losing the printed word seems a minor matter compared to other greater issues, I know.
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Yes, Darin, predictions can be tricky stuff. I try to avoid them. As C.S. Lewis said, The thing about reality is that it never turns out to be quite what one expected.
I’ve given gift subscriptions to the StAR to my local public library, and friends as well…
People still come in to read periodicals regularly, and it’s right on the rack along with SI and Time. Since its mission is to reclaim our culture, it should be right in the midst of it. And libraries, schools, prisons, doctor’s office’s and other institutions always appreciate such donations.
God bless you.
I picked up a copy of StAR at a homeScool conference this spring and really enjoyed it. I haven’t subscribed because I guess I find the majority of my reading material online.
I am not an overly scholarly person, but am interested in learning more and more, and certainly enjoyed the talks on Chesterton and SHakespeare.
We have six children under the age of ten, and I am homeschooling them on a small budget, so I try to save my pennies by reading the free news and commentary online. Also, the convenience of being able to have everything I read in one place (currently my iPad) plays a big role in what I choose to read.
That being said, if your magazine were available in a PDF format I would be happy to pay for an online subscription that I could easily download to my iPad. Being international (Canada) it would defray the higher shipping costs as well.
Tell me what you think…am I doing a disservice to myself by limiting most of my reading to what I can find online? I truly do want to educate myself, so I can educate my children as they grow into young adults. I’m not trying to pick a fight. I really want to know how much I’m missing out there beyond the online world.
I love the new technology out there, not because of an “infatuation with technology and a perceived need to keep up it”, but because it has enabled someone who normally couldn’t afford to buy books and magazines regularly the chance to learn from many great minds and ideas all around the world. The convenience is a big deal for a timestrapped mom.
Don’t let the ereaders and ipads be a threat to your survival…. Use them as tools to help spread your work.
Dear Melanie,
While I have no direct acquaintance with the experience of rearing and educating six children under the age of ten, I do have an imagination of what that must be like. I’m amazed that you have time to do any reading (for yourself, not just instruction) at all–in whatever format. You ponder whether you’re doing a “disservice” to yourself by restricting your reading to online, but I can only admire such achievement–both reading and child-rearing.
As for StAR in PDF online, I have no idea of editorial/publication plans, but I know that even if it were available online, I’d still subscribe to the print edition. I can’t afford an ipad anyway, and I simply enjoy the plain physicality of it.
Hi..People should use reusable bags instead or at least limit the amount of plastic bags they use.But I generally pick paper because it’s more protective of the environment
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Humanistic in our approach, we are interested in all subjects that concern the life and destiny of real men and women. We seek work of intellectual, literary, and artistic merit. At the same time, our intended audience is generally not academic or well-versed in literatures or traditions that interest individual authors. Work that is abstruse or heavily annotated will not be accepted. Work that is published will reflect the Catholic viewpoint either of the author or, indirectly, the editors, insofar as it is deemed relevant to Pilgrim’s mission. We are uninterested in work that is primarily apologetic in purpose: we will not continuously rehash first principles in order to convince non-Catholics of our positions. We are also uninterested in advancing political parties, movements, or candidates per se. Contributors are invited to be bold in the stands they take, but we will not print unfounded assertions or ad hominem attacks of any kind.
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