Originally Posted by
Stew Denton
Hi Folks,
Is it possible that all of the magazines folks like us read or use to read, such as popular mechanics, wood and shop, and the those mentioned above, are facing the same battle?
I think the younger folks aren't the "do it yourself" types that our "non-spring chicken" generation is, and our generation was less so than our parents generation. The young folks are much more into computer stuff, etc., clearly not all, but a lot of them.
School "manual training," woodworking shop, carpentry, metal shop, and general shop classes, as well as "home economics" for the girls, are going away. So, I think that the number of folks under 40 or 50, that had a basic introduction to woodworking, from a class in highschool, might be shrinking greatly.
The internet is also a competition for the magazines, Youtube, etc., that has woodworking stuff.
Is the world changing and the demand for information on hand tool woodworking is drifting down? I personally know of a few woodworkers, but only know of one who is interested in hand tool woodworking. Thus, is the world changing to the point that the demand for these types of magazines is greatly decreasing so that the magazines are trying different things in a despirate attempt to have a broader appeal, and thus increase circulation?
Or, are these magazines being sold to conglomerates who do not have folks on the executive level who know the readership of such magazines, and in an unwise effort to "appeal to a broader base" they unwittingly lose the appeal to the solid base they have, and as a result are hastening the final end of such magazines? I am thinking we could be seeing the same sort of short sighted thinking by executives that lead to the "race to the bottom of quality" of woodworking hand tools that occurred in the 1960s.
In short, is the readership of such magazines, and for this forum for example, consisting of us over 50 folks, and every year there are a few less of us who have an interest in woodworking, etc.? Or is it some of the other factors, such as some listed listed above or other?
What do you think?
Regards,
Stew