Commentary: Another One Bites The Dust—Farewell Sportboat Magazine
 

That's all, folks, http://speedonthewater.com/commentar...-magazine.html.

Sign of the times, brother. Thanks for the great memories.

:drink:

that sucks! That has been my favorite magazine so far. Covered a little bit of everything.

That's to bad.

bummer!
was a good mag

That really sucks,
But it was a great mag while it lasted.

Sorry to hear the bad news Matt. It was a quality magazine that didn't deserve to die... I feel very bad for you and for all your co-workers. Best of luck to all of you in the future!

That sucks. I was trying to get a subscription till i realized it was newstand only

No big loss----------------- When you put seventeen pages of truck crap in the mag.advertising and the mag. is only about fifty or sixty pages long; And then charge almost seven bucks at West Marine for the privilege of buying it ,What do you expect???????Bring back Powerboat!!!!!!!Not your fault Matt!



Jim

Sorry to hear that Matt. Somehow though, I think you're going to find an even better opportunity!

so sorry to hear

I have to agree. A quarterly magazine that you could read from cover to cover in a couple hours? No subscription available? $7 and hard to find? Certainly not your fault at all, Matt, but c'mon. I want a magazine every month. The only ones I get that are still consistent are BoatUS & National Geographic. I used to always have a back-log of boating mags piled on the table. :(

[QUOTE=cigboat1;3846368]No big loss----------------- When you put seventeen pages of truck crap in the mag.advertising and the mag. is only about fifty or sixty pages long; And then charge almost seven bucks at West Marine for the privilege of buying it ,What do you expect???????Bring back Powerboat!!!!!!!Not your fault Matt!

Some validity to your points, but just for the sake of clarification: The largest issue of Sportboat had 46 pages of editorial. Within that 46 pages there were eight pages of truck editorial. The editorial was there to support the truck advertisers (those pesky advertisers always expect support, damn it) who, in turn, played a significant role in supporting the magazine. And the truck content did at least come from a great source, Truck Trend magazine.

Again, just clarifying. Your other points are valid. Your point on truck content in Sportboat wasn't necessarily invalid, just a bit inaccurate.

And thanks for the kind words and support, Jim and all. Much appreciated.

Matt you are correct about me being inaccurate !!! A fop-aw on my part.......Instead of seventeen pages, there were only sixteen pages if you count the tire add in the Winter issue of Sportboat 2013.And there was seventy two pages if you count the back cover ;not fifty or sixty like I said in the first post. My whole point was to try and point out that all the publishers cared about was the bottom line and gave you very little support . Too bad !


Jim

[QUOTE=Matt Trulio;3846527]Being a pretty old guy of 58 and having grown up with the now ancient art of paper based publication, I always appreciated a slick 8.5x11" 1/4-1/3" lightweight multipage device I could roll up and carry in a jacket or pants pocket and pull out when convenient. Now thank God I have arrived!! I now get to lug a 10lb. 16" electrical product wherever I go whose battery goes dead too soon and I must be careful where I leave it or it will grow legs.

All kidding aside just what is your opinion of reason for the failure of performance boating print? Don't just say advertisers because we already know that. Is it paper costs, distribution, or what? How much would a subscription or news stand price be if it was largely paid for by the consumer?

Jim, we are talking about two different things, advertising pages and editorial pages. They are different. There were 46 editorial pages in the biggest issue of Sporboat and of those editorial pages eight were truck content. The other 38 pages were boat content. That's a fact.

You are lumping ad and edit pages together as one, and they're not the same thing. Sporboat, like most magazines, was run on a 60/40 ad/edit split.

As for the advertising pages, boat to truck, I am not sure what the split was exactly (not my department, as they say). But I know that for a time there was more truck advertising than boat advertising, which is telling.

My question to you would be: Do you really care about the ads in terms of balance? I didn't know that readers cared about that stuff ... I certainly don't in the magazines I read.

I do appreciate your support. Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I'm just clarifying my point.

[QUOTE=On Time;3846567]Here is my ballpark figure for the cost per issue to the consumer sans advertising support:

Astronomical.

I can't get more accurate than that because such a publication (other than Consumer Reports) has ever been done successfully (meaning it lasted) before. There's probably a reason for that, and my educated guess is that the cover price to support such a venture would be prohibitive.

As you've heard many times before, the price of subscription barely covers postage.

But if someone were to do a truly dedicated magazine online, which is not, I know, what you're asking for, the printing and distribution costs would be gone. The trick in that is monetizing (i.e. finding a solid revenue stream) in a worthwhile way.

I'm not saying that can't be done. I am saying it hasn't been done yet, at least at the level of quality, consistency and frequency that consumers expect. Yet.

Matt, an on-line magazine is not the answer. I can sit at the computer for hours and browse free boat reviews, forums, articles, videos, product ads, etc. It's all there for free. Maybe someday everything will be on-line but we are not there yet. Not everyone owns an i-pad. I like to lounge in the boat with a magazine and be able to see it in the sun and not worry about getting it wet or covered with sun-tan oil. I really miss my boating mags. Now when one comes in the mail it's like a miracle! I thought that advertising paid most of the cost and the more magazines sold, the more the ads would cost. Therefore the bargain subscription prices to get distribution numbers up. And I still say that it has to be monthly. Good luck to you in finding more work. It sounds like you are in a tough business right now.

I am very angry that Sportboat is done! I used to wait every month for my Powerboat Mag to show up in the mail. Recently, I'd wait for months to get the new issue of Sportboat. Now there is nothing left. Personally I can't stand reading online magazines. I prefer a nice glossy magazine every month with lots of photos and great reviews. I know it's a sign of the times but it sucks. When I was younger, I'd cut out photos from Powerboat and hang them on my wall. Writers like Matt really educated me on boats. Now people laugh at me because I "know everything" about boats. But it's thanks to all of the magazines that I read for so many years. Shame!!

I hear you. I know an online magazine, regardless of how well it's done, is no substitute for a print magazine for those who love print. (as clearly you and I do). However, I'm not sure that a print magazine exclusively covering the high-performance powerboat niche is economically sustainable.

I am 52 years old. I grew up with magazines and I loved them. I knew they were my calling. But the generation behind mine and, more to the point, the one behind that? Little to zero exposure to magazines. For most 20-somethings now, and even a lot of the 30-somethings, print is irrelevant. Their information delivery systems—how fancy is that—are electronic and they are comfortable with that medium. For the industry to have a chance to reach those folks, the media that covers it has to adapt.

That's because we are becoming ceatures with millisecond attention spans and no loyalty to anything.

Thanks, Dan, much appreciated. And I second your motion for support of Performance Boats magazine. I really do. There's a lot to like about it.

Problem is, the internet is free. I read the Detroit and local newspapers on-line for free. Why would someone pay for an on-line mag when there is such an abundance of free material?

True, the Internet has followed the network television model (cable is different) of free access for anyone with a device and a provider, with the advertisers carrying the freight. I believe in the same model for e-zines. Readers/visitors have free access, and they will gravitate toward the product with the highest quality because, why not, it's free. Advertisers pay to be there with display ads and various sponsor-arrangements, but the rates are much, much lower than print ad rates and they readership/viewership is much greater.

Matt, I enjoyed Sportboat magazine, there is something to be said about having the pages physically in your hands, I hate to hear it is now a thing of the past!!! Wish you the best in the future, Robbie

+1 on that. And everyone these days wants something for nothing. Ahh don't get me started on the "entitlement" generation!! Anyway Matt I have been reading your columns all my boating life and you're the best. Keep up the good work and best wishes.

I'm old too, 57, so I place real value on print. But to move forward, one needs to look at what everyone likes, and prioritize it. Not everything works, but a lot of it does. Yes, you can find all sorts of things online for free, many times, you get exactly what you pay for.


What do most people like?

1. Pictures. Those beautiful glossy and colorful Pictures.

2. Stories - Great articles by Matt and others. Speedonthewater is done very nicely.

3. Reality - Nothing is more interesting or original than real-life stories. They are exclusives as well.

4. Industry news -

5. Tips and Tricks

6. Trucks - From the now defunct Trailer Boats on to truck magazines, trucks will always be an integral part of the boating world.

In order to have professional journalists and boat industry people doing all of this work, you need money. Travel budgets, salaries, etc.. It all costs dollars, and it all takes a lot of time to put together. None of the above is available for free really. Some sites have one or two things, rarely all of them.

I think what's missing is an all-around publication. Yes, there is Boating and whatever out there. Not many have dared to combine all of the aspects of boating, because it's such a diverse universe. With the Internet, you could do this. If you add on specialties to online sites, it takes a bit of programming and setup. In the print world, you have to reduce segment size, otherwise your publication would be huge. So how would this work?

Look at the most popular areas of boating, and I'm talking about power only.

1. Fishing
2. Watersports
3. General cruising
4. Rafting/runs/get togethers.

People love real-life stories, and they crave tips that could save them money, or get them out of a tight spot. They also love action and fun. I absolutely loved articles I've read in either BoatUS or Boating magazines even if they weren't things I was planning on. Week long trips camping on a pontoon boat down South. Bass boat fishing in several lakes for a month. Houseboats, fast boats, Poker Runs, simple get togethers and overnighting.

It's all good, and if done right, it captures a large audience. I don't think the audience for Sportboat is large enough to support a dedicated magazine or even Internet site. But in similar fashion to auto magazines, it could spread out to the larger boating world. While many love to read the latest car mag with the new Porsche or Audi on the front cover, they tend to read the articles about the family sedans and economy car as well. What I'm saying is that you need to be diverse, to the point of a Car and Driver Plus Motor Trend Plus Trucks Plus whatever.

There's really nothing like that now. Yes, it takes capital, and yes, it takes professionals. Nowadays, the mega-publishers don;t dip their feet in the water long enough to form a complete thought. You need long-term visionaries and investors. You also need to spend the time to build a diverse, and large audience. There is limited to no competition in this area now, it's the cost of entry that is a prime barrier.

It's not a matter of simply putting stuff online and hoping for the best. There are already some pretty obvious partnerships in the boating world, I think the easiest way to make this go is to build upon those relationships. The eyeballs are already in place.

Bottom line is you have two types of readers when it comes to boating. Those that like to read magazines and those that like to read off of a computer. It's definitely a generation thing.

But here's the rub - The economy, the market, the readers and everyone else involved will not support print anymore. It's been proven time and time again. From the down fall of Hot Boat, Family and Performance boating, Powerboat and now Sport boat, the money is just not there and the trend is to go digital.

My short time working with Powerboat, I always used to roll my eyes at people's complaint that the magazine was too full of ads. They obviously didn't realize that AD PAGAGES ARE AWESEOME!! That means the magazine is doing well and making money. If I'm reading a boating magazine and see ads for Rolex, Porsche, Chevy....ANYTHING, I'm happy for them that they sold the spot because those pages aint cheap!!
It's funny now that when I look at any magazine ads I see the dollars it took to buy the spot instead of the ad it self.

With only Chris and Performance Boats left, I think you'll see soon a move towards internet only. The "future is now". We've hit the turning point. Powerboat and Performance Boats both dabbled in internet mags but it's time to jump in full bore and make a 100% commitment.

It's a win for everyone involved too, ads are cheaper, less overhead for publisher and ease of access for reader.

In an age when the vast majority of performance boating companies are just trying to hang on, the industry (including its coverage) needs to adapt and adjust. It is what it is. I also hate to see these great mags go away but change is inevitable and this is the next step.

And I will have to respectfully disagree with some sentiment that paying for an online magazine would not be worth it or that you can find the info for free you're looking for online.

Boating is a community and you get that community feeling from reading a trusted source. Whether it's an article about a favorite boating location written by a writer you may know of or have actually met, or a test of a new boat you may only be able to dream about owning but look forward to seeing at the next poker run - there's a level of content, a trustworthiness in the writing and a feel of community that you get when viewing info from a known and trusted source.

I look foward to seeing what the future of media holds for the powerboating world and I will try my damdest to support whatever means I can to get my fix of fast boats, awesome locations, great events and beautiful scenery!

@ 45 I prefer the electronic version. I am only interested in the boats and people. I just flip past all the towing stuff. I like the build up info and the war stories from those who made the sport. The winners and many of the losers.

I have been a performance boat subscriber for years. The new format was met with some trepidation but I like the wide format and hope they don't lose their minds and stray too far off topic.

If the content is worth paying for you just do. There is a barely measurable amount of free stuff online. However, a well written article from a trusted source has both merit and value. I pay for PBM and I will continue to as long as they meet my needs.

Also, online and electronic are not the same thing. Its like a website vs a document you read on your PC. Often, anyone can get the website, but you only get the PDF if you are a subscriber.


Just my deflated 2¢

Yeah but there is nothing like having a few boating and other mags sitting on the table or in the boat cabin.

There is so much here that is spot-on that I don't know where to begin. In fact, I find this entire thread enlightening. I have worked on the editorial side of the magazine business for most of my adult life, and I still learn a ton every time I turn to readers.

Please, gentlemen, keep this discussion going because, trust me, it will absolutely inform what Jason Johnson and I do with speedonthewater.com, as well as future ventures, going forward.

New World Media
 

Well stated, Tank.

The attraction to print magazines, IMHO, is nothing more than an attachment to the familar.
And I say that as one who loves magazines. :kiss:

Humans are creatures of habit. As people continue to lose that sense of familiarity with print due to ever more tech gadgets available to replace old with new,
the pace of increasing irrelevance will continue to accelerate.

In response, advertisers will turn to new avenues that can deliver message to market. And guess what? You are already seeing it. Right here. Check this...

Here's a number for you to think about.

300,000

Now, I realize the metrics aren't exact, and there is some overlap, but they are in the ballpark.
Counting the flickr galleries, fb, my own site and the boating forums,
that number is the total number of views that my photos from LOTO and Cumberland received
in a 15-day period when I was posting shots from both events simultaneously.

Show me a print magazine anywhere that can do that.

Print magazines are great in the bathroom. They also aid in directing your readers to your website. But nothing delivers paying customers like a static page. The web pages are always moving, and people forget them almost as easy as they got there. Reading print is a more passive activity than reading internet pages. Yes, a tablet can also play the passive role very well. But not as well. The images of print remain as they were when the publisher printed them. Printed magazines Are their target audience, not passer byes.

Never dismiss something because something new has been added to the scene. I find some magazines are tedious to follow, and pretty darn hard to read cover to cover when transferred to the internet. The continuity is lacking, and sometimes, the attention as well. No question eyeballs are directed to your site for pictures, which is a natural medium for the internet. Both have to be done well, and both have to realize what their respective mediums are.

An easy way to use technology to an old standard is via PDF versions. PDF versions that act as books. Using this technology, you can either have subscriptions, or pay as you go versions via the stores. But first, someone has to know you exist. Some of the best web experiences I've had are from PDF/Book versions of magazines. Truly rich experiences.

One small sample
http://magazinesdownload.com

The possibilities are endless.

I don't completely agree with that assessment, Steve. And I think you also made my point.

You are most comfortable with the electronic format that most closely simulates the paper format.
Because you are most acclimated to that format.
I would suggest that while the experience is different, there is a growing percentage of people that would prefer a smartphone or tablet instead of a magazine on the throne. People our age (ok, I got 5 on you) have had a lot more years to develop that familiarity. Thought experiment: select any 20-yr old today and ask them in 20 years which medium they prefer on the john. Also, for me the energy savings is important (treehugger alert)- pulp has real weight and uses a disproportionate amount of energy to deliver, and later dispose of, the substrate. Plus, ink isn't the most environmentally friendly substance I can think of.

Continuity is perception. And I agree, web pages can be more difficult to read because of the variety of distractions available to the designer, and his/her skill level to pull it all together with good layout. (whole other rant) Websites done right are much more engaging that any static print page could ever hope to be. (right now it's audio and video, soon we will add holographic monitors and who knows what to the experience) The continuity you speak of exists only because the pages are stapled together.

That's my view, but I should add that I look at this a bit different than most because 2 things- 1) I've never shared that type of sentimentality gene, call me cynical- I will hold the memories but not the molecules. 2) my background in print and publication design and production- I was the editor/art director/photog of the company magazine at my first real job (age 20), operated a studio/ad agency specializing in print (mag and newspaper), and over the years I've held creative and production mgmt positions with natl publications, so to me, print is just another delivery system for the art.

The psychology of graphic design has always fascinated me- how to manipulate media by design to achieve an end- whether it be pleasing flow in a magazine with good art direction and photography, or creating a buying impulse with innovative packaging design.

The convergence of tech and maturation of the internet has me very optimistic about the future.
Content creators of all types now have much greater control over the delivery and use of their product, and the options in front of you are limited only by your imagination.
Feels like I've been waiting for this my whole life. :whistle:

I have advertised I'm print media since '95 to brand my business and drive traffic to my web site. We have seen a dramatic drop in our tracking of business generated from our print media. We now utilize a web service which optimizes ny web site. We continue to decrease our investment in print media and purchase web dominance services.

I love a magazine on the coffee table of the man cave but the reality is that print media is a dying art form.

Matt I have ready my Powerboat Magazine for decades and truly appreciate your talent and leadership. Good luck and I wish you the very best in your future endeavors.

Looks like it's time for Speed On The Water Magazine.. Digital or other wise.

Maybe there just aren't enough performance boaters out there to support a dedicated print mag. Matt, how about pitching a performance boat section to the folks at Boating mag? They did a reader survey about 2 years ago and, as a result, added some PWC articles. And they bought Powerboat mag not too long ago (I know a lot of you are probably still pissed) so they own any files PB may have kept. Hey, its better than nothing.

John C