By: Miriam Camp
Editor: Priscilla Kathe
Alternative Story
Q & A with editors: Judy Johnson- Southern Distinction, Alec Wooden- Blur, and Shannon Baker- Athens Parent.
Q: Have magazines started to use social networks?
A: Wooden: We constantly use social networks.
Johnson: We’re jumping on the band wagon with Twitter, Facebook, and blogs; we don’t want to be behind.
Baker: Twitter is set up, but not Facebook. We have our own web site.
Q: Are social networks more profitable for big magazines or small ones?
A: Wooden: Big ones do it so they don’t fall behind; it helps the small guy.
Baker: I think it probably helps the smaller magazines. I can go online [Twitter] and say, ‘It’s the advertisement deadline or we need a story about a local fisherman.’
Johnson: Facebook wasn’t as prevalent a year ago, now it’s necessary for survival.
Q: Will readers turn to online publications and stop reading physical magazines?
A: Wooden: People fear that people will go online only, but if anything, it makes people crave the physical issue.
Baker: The whole point of reading a magazine is to sit in your tub or a comfy chair and read it.
Showing posts with label twitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twitter. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Internet and Social Networks Benefit Magazines
By: Miriam Camp
Editor: Becky Atkinson
Oct. 7, 2009
@Magazines Extra! Extra! The Internet and social networking sites will help you stay afloat.
This is advice for the magazine industry in the form of a Twitter tweet - a strategy that magazines are starting to use to stay ahead and interest readers.
Judy Johnson, a managing editor for Southern Distinction, said, “We’re jumping on the band wagon with Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. We don’t want to fall behind”
Johnson said that they were currently working on making sure they were set up with accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and blogs.
The Athens Blur Magazine’s executive editor, Alec Wooden, said that social networks have helped his physical publication, even though the magazine is free. He thinks that online and social networks help the smaller magazines.
“Big ones do it so they don’t fall behind,” said Wooden.
Shannon Baker, the publisher and editor of Athens Parent Magazine, agrees that social networks help small magazines.
She said, “I can go online [Twitter] and say, ‘It’s the advertisement deadline or we need a story about a local fisherman.’”
Contacting people in the community, like Baker is doing, would be difficult for a national magazine.
Baker is still in the process of bringing her magazine up to date with social networks. She is currently using Twitter, but has not set up a Facebook yet.
Maintaining readership has been good for Blur. “We’re in a fortunate situation because we print a low number,” said Wooden. They do not have millions of subscribers, but they are able to get rid of their copies, because they are free.
Blur produces 4,000 copies every six weeks, a total of eight issues per year. They do not have a fixed cost; therefore, it is not a struggle to distribute their magazine.
Online presence helps Blur because it keeps them in the audience’s mind when they are between publications.
Athens Parent is a bimonthly and publishes 10,000 copies of each issue. They will sometimes run a short version of a story in their magazine and have the full version online.
Southern Distinction is mostly sold by subscription, Johnson said. Copies of the magazine are also found in places such as Publix, Barnes and Noble, stores in Atlanta, and hotels in Athens, Ga.
Athens Parent is mostly distributed in Athens Clarke and
A bookseller at Barnes and Noble in Athens, Ga., Elise Stangle, who deals mostly with magazines, said it is hard to say which type of magazine is the most popular.
Although social networks and online publications are the new trend for magazine the cover of a magazine at a bookstore still draws the reader to a particular magazine.
Along those lines, Wooden said Blur’s process is simple. “[The issue] has to be something that appeals to people and looks good, Wooden said. “We try to make each issue look a little better and read better than the last.”
Blur uses a blogazine and receives about 4,000 views to their online publications. The largest viewing was around 10,000.
Wooden said, “We constantly use all the social networks.” Promotion for their physical publication is found online.
Blur’s Twitter account is mainly used to direct people to their blog. They daily receive around 400 hits a day to the blog. Facebook friends for the magazine’s account have now reached 1,470.
Wooden spoke highly of new technology, calling it hugely beneficial to the industry. “People fear that people will go online only, but if anything, it makes people crave the physical issue,” he said.
A year ago social networks were not prevalent in the industry; now they are, “necessary for survival,” Johnson said.
Baker does not believe that social networks or online publications have harmed the magazine industry.
“The whole point of reading a magazine is to sit in your tub or a comfy chair and read it,” said Baker.
John Cable, 21, the drummer for Corduroy Road, from Thomasville, Ga., looks at music magazines in Borders.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Miriam Camp- Magazine Readership
By: Miriam Camp
Editor: Becky Atkinson
Sept. 30, 2009
Magazine Readership
Magazines use online and social networks to stay up with fast moving trends in today’s culture.
Judy Johnson, a managing editor for Southern Distinction, said, “We’re jumping on the band wagon with Twitter, facebook, and blogs. We don’t want to fall behind”
Johnson said on Sept. 24, 2009, that they were currently working on making sure they were set up with accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and blogs.
The Athens Blur Magazine’s executive editor, Alec Wooden, said that new media has helped his physical publication, even though it is free. He thinks that online and social networks help the smaller magazines.
“Big ones do it so they don’t fall behind,” said Wooden.
Maintaining readership has been good for Blur. “We’re in a fortunate situation because we print a low number,” said Wooden. They do not have millions of subscribers, but they are able to get rid of their copies, because they are free.
Blur produces 4,000 copies every six weeks, a total of eight issues per year. They do not have a fixed cost; therefore, it is not a struggle to distribute their magazine.
Online presence helps Blur, because it keeps them in the audience’s mind when they are between publications.
Johnson admits that Southern Distinction’s biggest demographic is the Athens community, but they are developing a following. They have subscribers in 27 states across the country.
Southern Distinction is mostly sold by subscription, Johnson said. Copies of the magazine are also found in places such as: Publix, Barnes and Noble, stores in Atlanta, and hotels in Athens, Ga.
A bookseller at Barnes and Noble from Athens, Ga., Elise Stangle, who deals mostly with magazines said it is hard to say which type of magazine is the most popular.
Magazines are generally placed on the shelves of Barnes and Noble by corporate decisions, but Stangle can make requests based on customer suggestions.
At a bookstore the cover of a magazine is significant. Costumers will pick up a magazine and flip through it if the cover is striking.
Along those lines, Wooden said Blur’s process is simple. “Has to be something that appeals to people and looks good, Wooden said. “We try to make each issue look a little better and read better than the last.”
Blur uses a blogazine and receives about 4,000 views to their online publications. The largest viewing was around 10,000.
Wooden said they “constantly use all the social networks.” Promotion for their physical publication is found online.
Blur’s Twitter account is mainly used to direct people to their blog. They daily receive around 400 hits a day to the blog. Facebook friends for the magazine’s account have now reached 1,470.
Wooden spoke highly of new technology, calling it hugely beneficial to the industry. “People fear that people will go online only, but if anything it makes people crave the physical issue,” he said.
A year ago social networks were not prevalent in the industry; now they are, “necessary for survival,” Johnson said.
Mary Catherine Kinney, 21, from Albany, Ga., checks her Twitter account from her Blackberry phone.
Editor: Becky Atkinson
Sept. 30, 2009
Magazine Readership
Magazines use online and social networks to stay up with fast moving trends in today’s culture.
Judy Johnson, a managing editor for Southern Distinction, said, “We’re jumping on the band wagon with Twitter, facebook, and blogs. We don’t want to fall behind”
Johnson said on Sept. 24, 2009, that they were currently working on making sure they were set up with accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and blogs.
The Athens Blur Magazine’s executive editor, Alec Wooden, said that new media has helped his physical publication, even though it is free. He thinks that online and social networks help the smaller magazines.
“Big ones do it so they don’t fall behind,” said Wooden.
Maintaining readership has been good for Blur. “We’re in a fortunate situation because we print a low number,” said Wooden. They do not have millions of subscribers, but they are able to get rid of their copies, because they are free.
Blur produces 4,000 copies every six weeks, a total of eight issues per year. They do not have a fixed cost; therefore, it is not a struggle to distribute their magazine.
Online presence helps Blur, because it keeps them in the audience’s mind when they are between publications.
Johnson admits that Southern Distinction’s biggest demographic is the Athens community, but they are developing a following. They have subscribers in 27 states across the country.
Southern Distinction is mostly sold by subscription, Johnson said. Copies of the magazine are also found in places such as: Publix, Barnes and Noble, stores in Atlanta, and hotels in Athens, Ga.
A bookseller at Barnes and Noble from Athens, Ga., Elise Stangle, who deals mostly with magazines said it is hard to say which type of magazine is the most popular.
Magazines are generally placed on the shelves of Barnes and Noble by corporate decisions, but Stangle can make requests based on customer suggestions.
At a bookstore the cover of a magazine is significant. Costumers will pick up a magazine and flip through it if the cover is striking.
Along those lines, Wooden said Blur’s process is simple. “Has to be something that appeals to people and looks good, Wooden said. “We try to make each issue look a little better and read better than the last.”
Blur uses a blogazine and receives about 4,000 views to their online publications. The largest viewing was around 10,000.
Wooden said they “constantly use all the social networks.” Promotion for their physical publication is found online.
Blur’s Twitter account is mainly used to direct people to their blog. They daily receive around 400 hits a day to the blog. Facebook friends for the magazine’s account have now reached 1,470.
Wooden spoke highly of new technology, calling it hugely beneficial to the industry. “People fear that people will go online only, but if anything it makes people crave the physical issue,” he said.
A year ago social networks were not prevalent in the industry; now they are, “necessary for survival,” Johnson said.
Mary Catherine Kinney, 21, from Albany, Ga., checks her Twitter account from her Blackberry phone.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
UGA students still pick up newspapers
By: MIRIAM CAMP
Edited by: CHARI SUTHERLAND
Although students at the University of Georgia use new media to get national news they still grab the old fashion newspaper on campus.
The Red and Black has been able to keep their readership with all the new technology available, but editor Carolyn Crist admits that students at UGA pick up the paper, because it is available, on their way to class.
Crist said that students may only get the paper for the crossword puzzle and because it is easy to flip through the six to eight pages.
Barry Hollander, associate professor of journalism at UGA, agrees that students grab The Red and Black because, “it’s free and in their face and hard to avoid.” He admits that the paper can be more interesting to students then the lecture they have to sit through. Hollander also stated that The Red and Black keeps readership numbers up by keeping it free and focusing on their audience. Since the writers are part of their audience’s demographic they have an advantage.
Crist, the 21- year- old editor from Newnan, Ga., said that The Red and Black Web site can receive hits from all over the world for various reasons such as study abroad students or when a national news event occurs in Athens, Ga.
“In the last two years we have definitely seen an increase to hits online,” she said.
Bridget Mailley, a 20-year-old UGA student, does not have a Twitter account and does not think that new technology has harmed the news industry. Big news organizations such as CNN using Twitter seems unprofessional to Mailley.
Mailley, a senior from Athens, Ga. studying international affairs, said she reads news, “less than I should.” When she does get news she turns to online newspapers such as The New York Times or BBC. She also grabs a copy of The Red and Black on campus, because it is free and convenient.
In the future, Mailley said she would consider paying for a subscription to a paper before she would think about buying an individual paper.
Mailley said she watched the Obama election online and when she heard from a friend that Michael Jackson had died, she looked up the story online.
Jeffords, a telecommunications major from Marietta, Ga., said she gets news daily using her AOL homepage news headlines when she is online.
Like Mailley, Chelsea Jeffords, 19-year-old sophomore, does not have a Twitter account. She said that she does not think new technology has harmed the news industry, because blogs and Twitter cannot bring in revenue like print media.
Hollander does not believe that UGA students use Twitter in large numbers. “The Facebook news feed almost makes Twitter redundant,” Hollander said.
Mailley said she thinks newspapers will be out of print in the next 10 years. Jeffords disagrees. “I’m going to say no, because I hope not,” she said.
Edited by: CHARI SUTHERLAND
Although students at the University of Georgia use new media to get national news they still grab the old fashion newspaper on campus.
The Red and Black has been able to keep their readership with all the new technology available, but editor Carolyn Crist admits that students at UGA pick up the paper, because it is available, on their way to class.
Crist said that students may only get the paper for the crossword puzzle and because it is easy to flip through the six to eight pages.
Barry Hollander, associate professor of journalism at UGA, agrees that students grab The Red and Black because, “it’s free and in their face and hard to avoid.” He admits that the paper can be more interesting to students then the lecture they have to sit through. Hollander also stated that The Red and Black keeps readership numbers up by keeping it free and focusing on their audience. Since the writers are part of their audience’s demographic they have an advantage.
Crist, the 21- year- old editor from Newnan, Ga., said that The Red and Black Web site can receive hits from all over the world for various reasons such as study abroad students or when a national news event occurs in Athens, Ga.
“In the last two years we have definitely seen an increase to hits online,” she said.
Bridget Mailley, a 20-year-old UGA student, does not have a Twitter account and does not think that new technology has harmed the news industry. Big news organizations such as CNN using Twitter seems unprofessional to Mailley.
Mailley, a senior from Athens, Ga. studying international affairs, said she reads news, “less than I should.” When she does get news she turns to online newspapers such as The New York Times or BBC. She also grabs a copy of The Red and Black on campus, because it is free and convenient.
In the future, Mailley said she would consider paying for a subscription to a paper before she would think about buying an individual paper.
Mailley said she watched the Obama election online and when she heard from a friend that Michael Jackson had died, she looked up the story online.
Jeffords, a telecommunications major from Marietta, Ga., said she gets news daily using her AOL homepage news headlines when she is online.
Like Mailley, Chelsea Jeffords, 19-year-old sophomore, does not have a Twitter account. She said that she does not think new technology has harmed the news industry, because blogs and Twitter cannot bring in revenue like print media.
Hollander does not believe that UGA students use Twitter in large numbers. “The Facebook news feed almost makes Twitter redundant,” Hollander said.
Mailley said she thinks newspapers will be out of print in the next 10 years. Jeffords disagrees. “I’m going to say no, because I hope not,” she said.
UGA student, Mary Catherine Kinney, 21, from Albany, Ga., checks her Twitter account from her Blackberry phone.
Jay-Z Album Leak Sheds Light on Changing Industry
By Ryan Brooks, 09/09/09
Edited by Mark Stephenson
When Jay-Z’s newest album, The Blueprint-3, was leaked a week before its release date last Monday, September 1st, the enigmatic rapper was not phased. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it,” he said to MTV News that morning.
The Twitter account “diditleak,” an account with 8,943 followers, reported the leak at 5:15 PM the following day. Search Jay-Z on Twitter and you will find countless links inviting one to download the album.
Twitter is fast becoming a medium through which music piracy can flourish.
The old method of using a torrent file- a small file typically used to capture pirated files- to file share through others, which in turn is the successor of older file-sharing programs such as KaZaa, Limewire and Napster, is being replaced by a smaller, less organized system.
Whereas torrents involve a bit of technical expertise and internet know-how, the new system involves a simple double-click. Users simply post a link anywhere they wish that leads to a server that hosts the free file. Rapidshare, Media Fire and Stream Matrix are only a few of the sites that have been created in the past year or two for the purpose of sharing files in this way.
Anyone can use social media to spread files to those looking for them. A journalism major manages his own Twitter account for this purpose, ‘leaktweet,’ with a following of 427 accounts.
“It’s a natural progress to downloading music,” he said. “I started my Twitter account because I felt like I had an idea that hadn’t been exploited yet; the perfect model to disseminate information.
“More and more of these hosting companies pop up every month. And accounts like ‘diditleak’ are purely informational, telling you only when something is leaked. Using these sites directly is the next step,” said Benton.
On the other hand, Richard, a Psychology major who frequently uses torrent files to download music, says that older models like torrent files still have a place.
“The problem is that sites like Rapidshare have many “false files,” used to lure users into a site filled with ads. Large torrent sites like Pirate Bay have lists of trusted sources,” said Richard.
The Jay-Z model for turning around and posting the files to a large media site is, however, new one. When an album leaks before the release, there is little an artist can do.
“Generally the albums leak a week before release anyway as distributors receiver albums,” said the LeekTweet student.
Established artists such a Jay-Z have little to worry about leaks, and new models of distribution are being explored throughout the industry.
“Artists have distribution rights to their music, and can do what they want with it,” said Dr. Kent Middleton, Professor and Department Head of Grady College. “Some big artists may try to leak tracks for publicity.”
Radiohead’s “In Rainbows,” an album that received much press for its unusual distribution strategy, gave consumers a choice to pay “anything they like” for a download of the album. The band made more in total from its download service than the physical release of their previous album, “Hail to the Thief.” This was a method of distribution that many experts and critics said would cause the group to lose money.
On the other hand, Radiohead also put out hard versions of these same recordings on vinyl or CDs for fans who want a material copy of the music.
Ross, an employee of Athens, Ga. Schoolkids Records, feels frustrated with these new download models.
“Little stores like us are going to disappear, and little artists along with it,” he said. “Artists put incentives to buy vinyl and CDs, and there will always be those who appreciate not listening to a music file, but it’s so easy to just put everything online now.”
“Indie artists never use albums to make money anyway. Rock artists use them to advertise, basically. One of the last groups of artists to make money off of albums is the hip hop industry, but that is composed of large, super star artists and not smaller bands who make money off of music shows,” said the LeakTweet student.
As Twitter and faster, sleeker social media increases the flow of information worldwide, this chasm means that albums will become less important and the artists themselves will be sold to consumers.
Edited by Mark Stephenson
When Jay-Z’s newest album, The Blueprint-3, was leaked a week before its release date last Monday, September 1st, the enigmatic rapper was not phased. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it,” he said to MTV News that morning.
The Twitter account “diditleak,” an account with 8,943 followers, reported the leak at 5:15 PM the following day. Search Jay-Z on Twitter and you will find countless links inviting one to download the album.
Twitter is fast becoming a medium through which music piracy can flourish.
The old method of using a torrent file- a small file typically used to capture pirated files- to file share through others, which in turn is the successor of older file-sharing programs such as KaZaa, Limewire and Napster, is being replaced by a smaller, less organized system.
Whereas torrents involve a bit of technical expertise and internet know-how, the new system involves a simple double-click. Users simply post a link anywhere they wish that leads to a server that hosts the free file. Rapidshare, Media Fire and Stream Matrix are only a few of the sites that have been created in the past year or two for the purpose of sharing files in this way.
Anyone can use social media to spread files to those looking for them. A journalism major manages his own Twitter account for this purpose, ‘leaktweet,’ with a following of 427 accounts.
“It’s a natural progress to downloading music,” he said. “I started my Twitter account because I felt like I had an idea that hadn’t been exploited yet; the perfect model to disseminate information.
“More and more of these hosting companies pop up every month. And accounts like ‘diditleak’ are purely informational, telling you only when something is leaked. Using these sites directly is the next step,” said Benton.
On the other hand, Richard, a Psychology major who frequently uses torrent files to download music, says that older models like torrent files still have a place.
“The problem is that sites like Rapidshare have many “false files,” used to lure users into a site filled with ads. Large torrent sites like Pirate Bay have lists of trusted sources,” said Richard.
The Jay-Z model for turning around and posting the files to a large media site is, however, new one. When an album leaks before the release, there is little an artist can do.
“Generally the albums leak a week before release anyway as distributors receiver albums,” said the LeekTweet student.
Established artists such a Jay-Z have little to worry about leaks, and new models of distribution are being explored throughout the industry.
“Artists have distribution rights to their music, and can do what they want with it,” said Dr. Kent Middleton, Professor and Department Head of Grady College. “Some big artists may try to leak tracks for publicity.”
Radiohead’s “In Rainbows,” an album that received much press for its unusual distribution strategy, gave consumers a choice to pay “anything they like” for a download of the album. The band made more in total from its download service than the physical release of their previous album, “Hail to the Thief.” This was a method of distribution that many experts and critics said would cause the group to lose money.
On the other hand, Radiohead also put out hard versions of these same recordings on vinyl or CDs for fans who want a material copy of the music.
Ross, an employee of Athens, Ga. Schoolkids Records, feels frustrated with these new download models.
“Little stores like us are going to disappear, and little artists along with it,” he said. “Artists put incentives to buy vinyl and CDs, and there will always be those who appreciate not listening to a music file, but it’s so easy to just put everything online now.”
“Indie artists never use albums to make money anyway. Rock artists use them to advertise, basically. One of the last groups of artists to make money off of albums is the hip hop industry, but that is composed of large, super star artists and not smaller bands who make money off of music shows,” said the LeakTweet student.
As Twitter and faster, sleeker social media increases the flow of information worldwide, this chasm means that albums will become less important and the artists themselves will be sold to consumers.
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