“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
This quote by Mark Twain couldn’t be more accurate in regard to the mainstream conversation on print media. It’s true that newspapers are in terminal decline. In 2017, total U.S. weekday newspaper circulation was down 11 percent, and, according to The Atlantic, print newspaper advertising rates fell from $60 billion to $20 billion from 2000-2015.
From consolidations to buyouts to shutdowns, newspapers have surely suffered during the reign of the internet. However, this narrative that has taken hold has latched itself to every print medium, including magazines—but magazine data has a different story to tell.
While it may not have been intentional, overly generalized and alarmist reporting has suggested for years that no one picks up print publications of any kind anymore and that paper has become obsolete in the digital age. However, niche magazines are flourishing. This year, West Virginia Executive (WVE) is celebrating 20 years in print, and it is only one of hundreds of success stories in the U.S. alone.
According to The Association of Magazine Media’s 2018-2019 Factbook, there are more than 180 print magazines that have been thriving for more than 50 years. To put that in perspective, only 11 television programs can say the same. The top 25 print magazines in the U.S. reach more adults and teens than the top 25 primetime televisions shows. For the past 10 years, the total number of consumer magazines has surpassed 7,000, and in 2017, 134 new print magazine brands launched with a frequency of quarterly or greater.
In an era where fake news has become an everyday term, magazines are thriving because readers of all ages see them as a go-to source for reliable content. Magazines are also a proven tool for marketing, and adults ages 18-49 rely on magazine media to provide them with valued information, conversation and purchase inspiration. From health care, beauty products and fashion to automobiles, home renovations and luxury goods, magazine readers are driven to make purchases based on the print ads they see while perusing their favorite publications. More importantly, 65 percent of readers actually take action after seeing a print magazine ad.
This data inspired the WVE staff to take action. By launching its own social media advertising campaign, affectionately titled “Print is Not Dead,” WVE hopes to dispel the false narrative that paints print publications as dead and gone and print advertising as a thing of the past, especially for WVE’s readers and current and potential clients.
WVE is West Virginia’s only statewide business-to-business magazine. A quarterly, niche magazine with a specialized distribution, it is a high-quality publication with an eye-catching, glossy cover and a reputation for sharing quality in-depth profiles and news coverage. The WVE staff is proud to be celebrating 20 years in print and 20 years of maintaining the company’s mission to shine a positive light on West Virginia’s business community through strong editorial and targeted advertising.
So help us out. Look for our print ads and social media posts explaining why Print is Not Dead. Like, comment, share, retweet or tag your friends to help us spread the word using the hashtag #WVEprintlife. We’ve been around for 20 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Print is alive and well, and so are we.
Contact us today to find out how you can benefit from our magazine’s influence and reach by calling (304) 542-2247 or sending an email to kmh@wvexecutive.com.
