the dire state of video magazines - Page 3

johnd · 20th September 2009, 10:27

I've got to confess that since I started this thread I no longer see Camcorder Buyer on the shelves of my local WH Smith and had assumed the title had folded,
John

Maxwell · 20th September 2009, 19:14

Sorry to say they have folded and concentrated on other more profitable ventures like "Still Photography".
With the internet people can access video information much faster and store what they want.

castman · 20th September 2009, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxwell

Sorry to say they have folded and concentrated on other more profitable ventures like "Still Photography".
With the internet people can access video information much faster and store what they want.

No it hasn't, I was in WH Smiths today and there it was. I think it only comes out bi-monthly

paulears · 21st September 2009, 08:36

I'm not sure if the problem is that these mags are looking for people about to buy their first camera, who buy every mag they can see in May, buy the camera in June, and never buy the mag again. It's a bit like the car mags like auto trader - you only buy them for up to date info. I have been reading an audio magazine - Sound on Sound - for years, and it's pretty deep, but does cater for beginners. They started a sister mag called Performing Musician. Full of beginner content. I subscribed for a year, but hardly read it. All far too basic and to a degree wrong - they'd had to oversimplify everything to the state where it was the kind of thing that sounded great but just scratched the surface. These consumer mags are the same. Gadget hungry and weak on technical content.

castman · 21st September 2009, 09:01

@paulears: ...and that's another problem when you have a magazine that is entitle <subject>BUYER it implies via it's title that it is only intended to be purchased/read at a time when you are thinking about buying something.

Personally I think this kind of 'marketing' for a magazine is potentially fatal. Surely you want your magazine to have a following, indeed by offering a subscription, you are saying "I want you to continue buying this magazine", but alas the editors are not following through.

The issue of Camcorder buyer I flicked through yesterday contained very little information that would help someone progress beyond their camcorder manual! It even had several pages of group tests of DSLR cameras - I was going to say 'still' cameras, but appreciate that these do have video capability - but never the less is Camcorder Buyer the right place to test these cameras? I think that questionable when comparing their usual editorial and features. They also had various mentions of connectivity and media types which was also in one of their mags a year or so ago, OK I'll let them off with that one given it is primarily intended for first timers, but please, if you are going to have a magazine for any subject, allow it's readership to progress!

Ben Longden · 22nd September 2009, 05:16

Thats where us Aussies have the leading edge...
A mate of mine used to edit one of the video mags here, and it was heading off into the "new toy to buy" direction, leaving us blokes by the roadside
So he started his own for those wanting to improve their craft.

www.australasiancamcorder.info

Ben

Maxwell · 22nd September 2009, 20:03

Well you do surprise me. I have looked and nothing. I will check again.

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20th September 2009, 10:27	#21
johnd Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: fife Posts: 297	I've got to confess that since I started this thread I no longer see Camcorder Buyer on the shelves of my local WH Smith and had assumed the title had folded, John

20th September 2009, 19:14	#22
Maxwell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trowbridge,Wilts. England Posts: 373	Sorry to say they have folded and concentrated on other more profitable ventures like "Still Photography". With the internet people can access video information much faster and store what they want.

21st September 2009, 08:36	#24
paulears Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK-Lowestoft Posts: 461	I'm not sure if the problem is that these mags are looking for people about to buy their first camera, who buy every mag they can see in May, buy the camera in June, and never buy the mag again. It's a bit like the car mags like auto trader - you only buy them for up to date info. I have been reading an audio magazine - Sound on Sound - for years, and it's pretty deep, but does cater for beginners. They started a sister mag called Performing Musician. Full of beginner content. I subscribed for a year, but hardly read it. All far too basic and to a degree wrong - they'd had to oversimplify everything to the state where it was the kind of thing that sounded great but just scratched the surface. These consumer mags are the same. Gadget hungry and weak on technical content.

21st September 2009, 09:01	#25
castman Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 25	@paulears: ...and that's another problem when you have a magazine that is entitle <subject>BUYER it implies via it's title that it is only intended to be purchased/read at a time when you are thinking about buying something. Personally I think this kind of 'marketing' for a magazine is potentially fatal. Surely you want your magazine to have a following, indeed by offering a subscription, you are saying "I want you to continue buying this magazine", but alas the editors are not following through. The issue of Camcorder buyer I flicked through yesterday contained very little information that would help someone progress beyond their camcorder manual! It even had several pages of group tests of DSLR cameras - I was going to say 'still' cameras, but appreciate that these do have video capability - but never the less is Camcorder Buyer the right place to test these cameras? I think that questionable when comparing their usual editorial and features. They also had various mentions of connectivity and media types which was also in one of their mags a year or so ago, OK I'll let them off with that one given it is primarily intended for first timers, but please, if you are going to have a magazine for any subject, allow it's readership to progress!

22nd September 2009, 05:16	#26
Ben Longden Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Echuca, Victoria, Australia Posts: 88	Thats where us Aussies have the leading edge... A mate of mine used to edit one of the video mags here, and it was heading off into the "new toy to buy" direction, leaving us blokes by the roadside So he started his own for those wanting to improve their craft. www.australasiancamcorder.info Ben

22nd September 2009, 20:03	#27
Maxwell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trowbridge,Wilts. England Posts: 373	Well you do surprise me. I have looked and nothing. I will check again.