Newsweek hunts for a new audience
It has become very, very clear that Newsweek is hunting up a younger audience. A couple of issues ago they came out with a new format. A bit lighter on content, another trend in print media these days, but more attractively laid out.
And in last week's issue, they had a guest editor. Their first that I can remember. Steven Colbert. The comedian/anchor.
Nothing says young and hip like snarky.
Happily, the Colbert bits were easy to ignore. Also, I'm not the audience they're trying to attract. I've been reading this news magazine since at least the 1980's, and haven't dropped it in this era of news aggregators. When it comes to news consumption, I'm about 10 years older than my age would suggest. I haven't watched network news in years, but I still get a fair amount of news from dead trees. I'm the audience they're trying to keep not the one they're trying to attract.
Personally, I find the weekly news-magazine convenient. I suffer from short-attention span when in front of a computer, so long articles don't get read. Put a magazine in my hand, and I'll read whole articles in a sitting. Part of this is conditioning, but it features in how I consume news. If I'm going for in-depth reportage, I'm far more likely to read it closer in dead-tree format.
I realize that some change needs to happen to keep these magazines afloat. I can live with the new format, with its slightly larger line-spacing and colorful article headers. Even the occasional 'guest editor' since they're easy to ignore. This is change.
And in last week's issue, they had a guest editor. Their first that I can remember. Steven Colbert. The comedian/anchor.
Nothing says young and hip like snarky.
Happily, the Colbert bits were easy to ignore. Also, I'm not the audience they're trying to attract. I've been reading this news magazine since at least the 1980's, and haven't dropped it in this era of news aggregators. When it comes to news consumption, I'm about 10 years older than my age would suggest. I haven't watched network news in years, but I still get a fair amount of news from dead trees. I'm the audience they're trying to keep not the one they're trying to attract.
Personally, I find the weekly news-magazine convenient. I suffer from short-attention span when in front of a computer, so long articles don't get read. Put a magazine in my hand, and I'll read whole articles in a sitting. Part of this is conditioning, but it features in how I consume news. If I'm going for in-depth reportage, I'm far more likely to read it closer in dead-tree format.
I realize that some change needs to happen to keep these magazines afloat. I can live with the new format, with its slightly larger line-spacing and colorful article headers. Even the occasional 'guest editor' since they're easy to ignore. This is change.
