Today in the post I received an offer for a year's supply of Time Magazine for €30 - this is a massive €213 off the regular annual subscription. This included a so-called "Privilege Card" which is cleverly designed to make me want to subscribe immediately.
Several years ago I did subscribe to Time (that's why I am on their mailing list). It was a brilliant magazine and it arrived weekly through my front door letter box like clock work. The trouble was that it was based not only yesterday's news, but mostly last week's news as well. With the advent of instant information from the web I quickly got bored reading the same stories that I had read days previously on-line. I am still interested in things like the Time Person of the Year, and who gets to go on the cover (our own Enda Kenny last year), but no more than that.
Providing Time Magazine for a year at the knock down price of €30 must be a major loss leader for the Time company. It either shows that they can afford to do this, or that they are desperate for new subscriptions. I'm not biting - I look up on-line newspapers everyday now, rarely buying print media. I haven't bought Time for a very long time, and am unlikely to do so. In the age of "instant everything" with Google News and Twitter, yesterday's news is no use to anyone. This has serious implications for all involved in print media.
Sorry Time, but I will not be taking up your offer.
Maybe they should reconsider the name of the publication. Might I suggest "(Recent) History".
ReplyDelete