At Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:54:37 Josh wrote:

>Here's the problem I have with the Amplifier thing.
>
>If you run a magazine, you have two mandates-- ad sales and reader 
>acquisition/retention (also cost and operations management but let's keep 
>this simple.)  If you stop covering releases by labels that don't-- or 
>can't-- advertise, and disproportionately, favorably cover artists from 
>labels who advertise a lot, don't you end up skewing the content?  Don't 
>you, as a magazine, inevitably drift toward sucking royally?  Won't you be 
>less likely to attract and retain readers than the other magazines on the 
>rack on the same beat who do a better, more comprehensive job of covering 
>the topic your would-be readers are paying to read about?  Don't you 
>therefore lose readership and circulation, resulting in fewer readers to 
>sell TO advertisers, a lower rate base, and LESS advertising revenue?
>
>Or do I just totally not get it...

Logically this makes sense. In reality this may not happen.

The label that didn't advertise in Amplifier indicated they weren't going to 
advertise anywhere else either. Which means Amplifier's competition may also 
not cover that label's releases. Therefore the competitor's magazine content 
could very well start looking the same as Amplifier's. So would this mean, 
then, that BOTH magazines suck? Or both magazines are creating an exclusive 
scene?

I notice in Toronto that both weekly entertainment rags ("Now" and "Eye") 
are, at the core, the exact same magazine...they cover the same CDs, DVDs, 
movies, live gigs and theatre reviews every week. The only difference is 
their editorial content. And though they don't make a public noise about it, 
both WILL sell a record label the front cover for a price. It's just another 
space for advertising to them.

Canadian Music Network magazine (RIP), a trade publication, would sell you 
their front cover for $1800. $1200 for the back.

Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
http://www.bullseyecanada.com

SWAG:
http://www.cafepress.com/bullseyecanada
BULLSEYE LIVE 365 RADIO:
http://www.live365.com/stations/bullseyerecords

Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/

http://www.myspace.com/jaimievernonsmovingtargetz

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