Deep Thoughts On Magazines: I feel like pseudo-new age guru Jack Handey on Saturday Night Live, when I say that “it’s OK for your book to be down 10 percent in this economy. It’s OK.” Hey, it’s
not OK or even acceptable to see anything but growth on the P&L. We all know that. But I keep looking at Publisher’s Information Bureau numbers every month and I keep seeing an entire industry somehow
dodging a warhead. Year-to-date, the latest PIB report says, tech, apparel, financial services, and travel have dropped double digits over last year. That’s a recipe for disaster. Yet somehow the
magazine sector has managed to turn in a flat revenue performance. That’s not salesmanship. That’s not marketing. That’s alchemy. Business Week, for example, is off 22 percent in page count year to
date. Considering their ad base, that’s a miracle. In an overcrowded women’s market, Lucky is up 57 percent over last year. That’s less of a miracle and more like incredibly shrewd positioning and
editorial execution. What do women want? They want to shop, cheap. Lucky translated that into a great magazine. Next year is going to be very good to the magazine business. Because in the worst of
times, they’re finding opportunity in the chaos.
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No Contest: I am not sure cable vs. network TV is a newsworthy story anymore. I’m thrilled that the Cabletelevision Ad Bureau reports
that cable has grabbed more audience than networks this summer. I’m also impressed that cable has caught up to networks in LA, as AdLink reported yesterday. Email me if you think I’m wrong, but
shouldn’t we focus more on issues of programming, audience reach and advertising value? Is the competition the important issue here?
Having Said That: Speaking of cable programming you
gotta respect the direction USA Networks is going in. Instead of serving up reality TV and reruns, USA is building a solid franchise of drama with series like Monk and The Dead Zone. And people are
watching them.
