Is the Wine Spectator going Web Only?

WINE TALK
1

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2

Just thinking of the quantity and “largess” of their print advertising, I doubt this would make financial sense for M. Shanken Communications.

3

i just got in the mail an offer for 3 years worth for $1 per issue. still sitting on it as it is a great deal for a nice lifestyle mag. but cant seem to pull the trigger

4

I suspect that Matthews also found Suckling “environmentally unsound”, which is why Suckling, too, is available in a web-only format these days…

5

They offered it to me for $2 for a whole year so I jumped on board. Been away for 3+ years. I actually really enjoy most of the magazine, great travel/lifestyle stuff and for 2 bones a no brainer.

6

Answering the original question in a word: NO

I suspect the circulation of the magazine DRAMATICALLY outperforms the printed books. Also the books don’t carry advertising.

7

John, where did that offer come from? The magazine, or another source? I’d jump at that.

8

I would, too. There’s definitely a buck’s worth of entertainment, but not for the usual subscription price.

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Can’t see it happening. I bet they have tons of readers who like the magazine on a high level, but have never considered going to a website about wine.

11

All sniping aside, Mr. Matthews is merely stating that which almost every other publisher is stating – print directories (and the like) are dead or dying. The Web does a much better job of indexing and storing archived content, advertisers are scarce to pay for the print/distribution costs of a publication, and the magazine is as much focused on photography as it is on the text.

Yes, the ecological argument may seem a bit far-fetched, but economically, converting to the web is a no-brainer.

12

Right, but to draw a direct connection between an aggregated print directory and a print publication such as the Spectator is a bit of a big leap for now at least.