How are the formats in which people read and receive magazines changing and how does this affect the magazines’ environmental impact?
The aim of my project is to research and evaluate different magazine formats, consider the future developments of magazine formats and consider their environmental implications.
I will research the differences between printed and online magazines in terms of the publisher and reader’s relationship with the medium. “No screen in the world can replace the feeling one gets when sitting comfortably in an armchair enjoying the Sunday paper” (Patrick Burgoyne, MagCulture, 2003 p.18) I want to look at the influence of new technology on production and distribution methods of magazines and how this is changing the way we read and receive publications. I also would like to consider the environmental impact of the printing industry and question the benefits of using electronic alternatives “a medium-sized server has roughly the same annual carbon footprint as an SUV vehicle doing fifteen miles per gallon”(Nat Hunter, Grafik Jul 2009). As my research develops I am likely to refine my report to focus more specifically on either the future of magazine publishing or the environmental impacts and briefly touch on the submissive topic. However, I feel they are both worthy topics of interest and so would like to initially investigate both.
Printed verses Online Publications
In this chapter I intend to discuss the benefits and downfalls of both formats. Articles such as New-Style Entertainment: Online Magazines from international design magazine Novum (June 2005, p.76-81) and Download Me... (MagCulture, 2003) outline in detail the printed verses online debate, “quote to be added”.
Magazine Case Study
I intend to do a case study of a magazine which has both a printed and online version. I will interview industry professionals on topics such as; how do the readership statistics compare between both formats? How do they make their online revenue? What contrasting design features do they apply for each format? Do their reader profiles vary between formats? How do they advertise their online publications? etc. The title I am considering choosing for my case study is Dazed & Confused Magazine. I think this would be suitable because it is a popular fashion and lifestyle magazine which is likely to be both brought on opportunity and have a collectors market. I have industry contacts through the mentorship scheme in both the printed and online design departments which I feel would be ideal for me to interview on my subject.
Survey
In this chapter I shall discuss and analyse the results of my survey I wish to conduct based on people’s consumption on online and printed magazine. From this primary research I hope to gain quantitive results on areas such as the average number of printed and online magazines people buy/read a month? I also would like to obtain qualitive results such as why readers prefer a particular format and how they feel about future format options. Using my research I shall compare my findings to notions proposed in articles such as Download Me… (2003).
The Future of Publishing
Looking at how new technology such as eBooks and eReaders are changing the way we can read publications. Also the implications new web services such as http://www.zinepal.com/ where you can “create your own printable magazines and eBooks from online content” and the Blackwell’s Espresso Book Machine which “could herald the biggest change for the literary world since Gutenberg invented his printing press more than 500 years ago.” (The Guardian). The book We the Media (DanGilmor, 2004) explains how the development on online mediums such as blogs and forums has changed the way we consime information “add quote”.
The Environmental Impact
I’m really interested in the relationship between graphic design and climate change and would like to have a section evaluating the environmental impact of printed publications and discuss the what alternatives and improvements can be made. From this I would see how the online alternatives compare and discuss issues such as are website like zinepal.com progressive because they allow the reader to print only selected material or are they just allowing us another opportunity to an unnecessary paper and glue to landfill? I will use books such as Cradle to Cradle (Braungart and McDonough, 2008) and online resource www.lovelyasatree.com to gather information on environmental impacts of the printing industry.
Action Plan
· Read and seek out more books/articles about the readers relationship with a printed publication(magazine) and how it changes when reproduced digitally
· Research facts and statistics on how many people are reading online publications.
· Interview people from publishing industries (publishing houses/magazines) about their opinions on the different mediums and find out about how they make their online revenue (Case Study?).
· Talk to people/companies actively conscious about the environmental impact of printing and get their opinions, e.g. Three Trees, Amelia’s Magazine, Sublime (get more)
· Research survey techniques and do a survey of how people dispose of their publications/magazines
· Set up course magazine sharing system
· Research in more detail energy and waste in printed and online publications and make comparative diagrams.
Bibliography
Books
Cradle to Cradle
MagCulture
Inside Magzines
Paper Trails
We the Media
Magazines/Journals
Grafik Articles by Nat Hunter on ‘How to be Green’
Novum Mag article on online mags
The Future of Printing
Seven steps to online publishing success.
Websites
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/24/espresso-book-machine-blackwell
http://www.dolectures.co.uk/brainfood/?tag=481
http://www.threetreesdontmakeaforest.org/facts/digital.html
http://www.shrinkpaper.org/
http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/amelias_blog/2009/06/beyond_the_green_machine_1.php
http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/how_is_it_recycled/paper/paper_the.html
http://www.pdf-mags.com/
www.thisisamagzine.com
www.dazeddigital.com
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hi guys, as you can see my piece is far from finished, but any comments suggestions would be very very welcome.
ReplyDeletedaisy
I haven't read over it properly, but the first things that jumps out are,
ReplyDeleteyou need to do the referencing harvard referencing style and you need to change the way you are writing about it so that it doesn't say "I am going to be...." needs to be more like "this report will...."
Hi Daisy,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel! But the rest seems good. Very interesting stuff.
Renata
Hi Daisy - I think you need to state who you are reporting to - who would benefit from reading your report?
ReplyDeleteIt seems very big and too ambitious on first glance but it all actually fits together very well. I think it's very nearly there. Do ad the others have suggested - harvard and lose the 'I's' - you've stated already that one of your aims will take a secondary role. I think the environmental aspect is the less interesting of the 2 - you can touch upon it but the whole readership focus is really interesting from a designer's viewpoint.
Hope that helps - very solid and only a few tweaks left. Well done,
drn