How many issues do you read a year?

[Mighty_Emperor]

I'm curious to know how many issues people read a year and if some of the site's visitors have never read the magazine or have stopped.

If you only read a few what tempts you in? Randomly luck (spotting it as you pass by in the newsagents), whenever you can be arsed, when you can get your hands on a friend's or relatives, interesting sounding articles, word of mouth here, etc?

To make it easier I've restricted th scope to this year so people aren't left thinking (well I read them all in 2003, 11 in 2004 but only 8 this year).

I read all 13 as I'm a subscriber.

--------
See also:

The poll about subscribing and why you don't:
www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10967

The Poll for 2005's best issues:
www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24275

 

[Yithian]

I read if:

a) I see an article than is of particular interest,
b) I have the money spare,
c) I get sent a free copy by one of the contributors who also subscribes.

This works out at between 6 and 9 per year (ish).

I use to read every edition but i don't rate the content as highly now.

'Journal' to 'World', cosmetic or indicative of a change of emphasis?

 

[Hospitaller]

I used to rarely if ever miss an issue of FT and always looked forward to the next one, but it simply is not good value for money any more. It's over €5 here in Ireland - much better spent on a good second hand Fortean book. Also, FT has dumbed down a lot IMHO and is less of a "Journal" of unexplained phenomena than a mag that seeks to appeal to this market niche. IIRC the last issue I bought was the Nazi UFO one. I'd love another meaty issue like that one!

 

[oll_lewis]

I buy every issue from my news agents where I have it on order.

There's not as much in it that I find extramly interesting as there was a few years back, but I think that might be because I've been reading about forteania for years and am now an accomplished researcher writer and investigator in it myself I'm now a bit jaded.

I would probably still buy ft no matter what they put in it, it is my second favorate fortean magazine, after the quite fantastic cryptozoological journal 'Animals and Men' but that's mostly quarterly.

 

[Leaferne]

I grab it when I see it, which is not often. Hence my forlorn "4".

 

[tastyintestines]

I managed to get one this year. It's hard to find around here and is expensive.

 

[ArthurASCII]

I've read and own every issue ever in one form or another (smug grin).

 

[Graylien]

I buy every issue but I'm beginning to think I'd be as well off just visiting Reuters Oddly Enough pages. The magazine seems to be becoming more about 'wacky news' and less about anomalous phenomena. The world's tallest man is not a Fortean phenomenon. Bigfoot is. See how that works?

(Edited to correct atrocious grammar)

 

[Anonymous]

I buy and read every issue from WH Smiths. I'd subscribe but I'm very wary having read some of the horror stories here. This and Private Eye are the only magazines and papers I buy now as I tend to read all my news online.

However, I do agree with Graylien and some of the other posters. I think there has been a shift in content and perhaps the loss of the word 'Journal' does signify something. Was there an editorial comment on the thinking behind this?

There does seem to be a 'dumbing down' too, but I can accept that - to an extent, anyway - if that's what it takes to keep the magazine afloat. I'd really, really hate to see it become like Bizarre though.

 

[byroncac]

All thirteen issues - although i'd be happy with six well researched journals to read every year!

Suggetions to improve the magazine were discussed on this thread Improvements to FT and was looked into from time to time by David Sutton. Perhaps the mods could make this sticky. :shock: I mean the thread not David.

The change from 'Journal' to 'World' was briefly discussed here: Journal v World

 

[Mighty_Emperor]

Suggetions to improve the magazine were discussed on this thread Improvements to FT and was looked into from time to time by David Sutton. Perhaps the mods could make this sticky. :shock: I mean the thread not David.

OK - we could try both (I envision doing an ectoplasm challenge at UnCon and sticking him to a board and dangling him in the air) but or now I'll just stick the improvements thread.

 

[Dr_David_Sutton]

BTW, the change from 'journal' to 'world' was forced upon us by James Brown when he owned the title. After a protracted and bitter struggle, he got his own way. His thinking was that the word 'journal' was off-putting to casual readers, conjuring up images of old men perusing dusty tomes in dark libraries or something...

We just haven't ever got round to discussing changing it back (too busy just getting the mag out), but I suspect out new publishers would be reluctant to contemplate it.

As with many of the problems we face (dodgy ads, high US prices etc) it all boils down to the fine balance of integrity and commercialism that we have to maintain to keep publishers off our backs and ensure the mag's continued survival, which may not be in question right now, but - given the kind of industry publishing is these days - is always a potential issue.

Cheers

David

 

[MaxMolyneux]

I have bought every issue this year. :yeay:

Only got into them inlate 2004 so I only have one from that year.

 

[Hospitaller]

i'd be happy with six well researched journals to read every year!

Hear hear! I'd gladly pay twice the price for well researched material that I know I won't find elsewhere. Trouble is about most of the content nowadays is that a Google will get you it (and more) for free.

the word 'journal' was off-putting to casual readers, conjuring up images of old men perusing dusty tomes in dark libraries or something...

Exactly the hook that got me in in the first instance! Perhaps there's room for at least a biannual alternative to the current 'FT lite'. Something that would worthily sit amongst dusty tomes on library shelves!

 

[gordonrutter]

It seems that there's still a demand for Fortean Studies then!

Gordon

 

[Soong2]

I subscribe and start reading every edition but barely do I get to the strange deaths section and Cider steals it.

 

[oll_lewis]

It seems that there's still a demand for Fortean Studies then!

Gordon

Yes, Please Mr Sutton sir, Please.

If you have his email address you can tell James Tye that I'll be his best friend if he decides to green light the idea. Now if that dosen't tempt him nothing will

 

[byroncac]

gordonrutter wrote:
It seems that there's still a demand for Fortean Studies then!

A copy of Fortean Studies 6 was sold on ebay for close to £40 a week or so ago. If they didn't sell very well could the could folk of Fortean Towers raid the storage boxes and get me a copy of volume 6 please, and while they're at it i'll take a copy of volume 7 too. I had my name down to recieve copies of both of them but to no avail, nothing more happened than kind words at the end of a telephone!

This may sound embittered, but alas, I am! :furious:

 

[Anome]

I've only got Volumes 1 and 2, and I bought them at UnCon last year.

Tracking down/ordering the others is on my list of things to do when I get round to it.

 

[hedgewizard1]

There has been a bit of a shift in content. While the capsulized story of the Rendelsham Lights was interesting, the piece about engineering aliens was a waste of space. Hard SF writers have created better aliens and worlds, and it looks like whoever created the exhibit might have read Niven's The Integral Trees as inspiration for Blue Moon.

Personally, I would like to see more pages, with more in-depth material. Maybe cut back on the Strange days stuff, and the letters. I realize that editorial decisions are sometimes made on economic grounds, and the letters and Strange Days sections are cheaper to produce than a 5 or 6 page article.

I have mixed feelings about the trend towards "theme" issues, where the main articles are all related. The issue with Nazi UFO's, the SS expedition to Tibet, and the Spear of Destiny was a good. But I'm not sure that I'd like to see it done all the time. Sometimes, a diverse selection of articles is more appealling.

 

[staticgirl]

I love the Strange Days section and the letters even though I also read the website too. I also love the illustrations even though that isn't a primary content (I am framing that one of the raven from this month's). I hope FT doesn't go for themed issues too often. If you aren't interested in the theme for that month you end up skipping most if not all of the indepth articles which does leave me feeling a bit disappointed. My least favourite issues were the Nazi UFO and the Medium issues as I just wasn't interested. I think the current issue is my favourite one in a while.

 

[Analogue Boy]

I read every issue and have done for years.

but I'm puzzled as to why there's no free gift on the front though.
You could have something that builds up week by week....maybe mishaped Liquorice Allsorts that look like the Virgin Mary perhaps.

 

[AvlinWitchslicer]

I wouldn't be without mine, entertained me for a long time now :lol: 8)

 

[Anonymous]

All issues for years.
Hell, I'd buy it weekly if it could be produced to the current level.

 

[AvlinWitchslicer]

I worried when it went from once every two months to monthly that the quality and standards would drop but it's been great for all the time I've read it!! :lol:

 

[Leaferne]

I'd subscribe if they took PayPal, but have heard too many horror stories about overseas subs and the bookstores here are quite hit and miss.

 

[AvlinWitchslicer]

I wonder if there's any difference in the content between the uk fortean times and ones abroad, I've seen variant covers but don't know about the inside 8)

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know. I suppose they might alter spelling for our N.American friends. Probably wouldn't include a cryptic crossword either :lol: ( )

 

[owenwhiteoak]

UK / US content

Back in the mid-90s variant covers were tried -- not only UK/US, but also using more than one cover in the UK. The internal content was, and remains, identical.

In recent years, covers are the same for all versions -- we might occasionally change a cover-line or flash if we think US readers are less likely to recognise / be interested, but that's all. Cover dates for each issue vary because the US edition has always been released a month later than the UK.

 

[AvlinWitchslicer]

Thanks for that, I only knew of the variant covers when I saw them inside Fortean Times a few years back (probably an advert selling back issues or subscriptions) but it's good that everyone gets the same content inside :lol: