“If you believe what you read,” writes Rana Niamh Smith in The Telegraph, “the print media has been on its deathbed ever since the birth of the internet.”
“But someone forgot to tell the creatives behind the latest wave of independent magazines,” Smith continues. “There seems to be a new launch looking for funding on Kickstarter every week, and the sector is booming: last year the independent-magazine subscription service Stack reported a 78 per cent increase in revenue, with its number of subscribers growing by 76 per cent.”
What’s behind this growth is a move away from mass market publications, and toward boutique-style magazines that dive deeply into a narrower niche.
“Most of the magazines are launched by people looking to explore a tiny corner of interest in a new way,” Smith explains, noting that many of the publishers of these new magazines come from the world of journalism.
“For others, such as the historian and former antiques dealer Nicole Burnett of Pretty Nostalgic, it is their niche that they know intimately.”
It’s clearly more than a business for these folks. They love the topics they cover, and they love the idea of gorgeous print magazines.
“Beautifully curated and printed on thick, uncoated paper, these tomes are more than just magazines: they are luxury products for a discerning reader, a respite from the frenzy experienced by the always-on generation,” Smith notes.
She gives some great examples – including Cherry Bombe, a favorite of ours – and includes beautiful cover shots of some others. It’s well worth a look. Print’s revival is succeeding in inspired and unexpected ways.