Poll--Splosh Magazine

[dougiezerts]

Should Splosh still publish a magazine?
Personally, I think they should. I still enjoy reading magazines, and besides, I'm not at my computer 24/7!

[Lizzie_Claymore]

One word: "Economics".

[messylaura]

the splosh site has more upto date info than the mag, the cost of doing the mag and the publishing of it i think is what put it to sleep (Bill?)
yes it would be a nice thing to have, maybe a special celebration one or a end of year one, although that could be a splosh calander form
but a monthly or bi monthly one? think the internet has seen that dead along time ago

[andy250]

Bill has already explained why the magazine publication was ceased. Their is no reason for him to bring it back and make a loss!!

It would be unfair to ask Bill to do it. Esp with the internet being so accessible to most people.

In fact I'm sure if you visit the splosh download store, their a copies of the first mags available in download format.

regards

Andy

[BillShipton]

Hi

Sorry I haven't replied sooner but I had a busy Easter doing writing and presenting a Big Quiz for the pub on Easter Sunday. Have been living off beer and pies!

The people who have responded are partially right. Producing a colour magazine does cost a huge amount of money these days and to do it regularly when you are competing with all the free material on the internet would be impossible. I have considered doing one-off 'specials' (like a Splosh! annual) but there is a good chance even that would fail. It would certainly take all year to pay for itself and in 'the current climate' we simply don't have the £15,000-plus needed to pay for something like that upfront.

Economics aside, people have (sadly in my opinion) also changed their buying habits. Two years ago, we sold loads of DVDs and magazines and a few downloads, now it is the other way around. People like the anonymity of downloading, they like the immediacy (no waiting for the postman) and they like the privacy (no worrying if the kids/wife/parents get to the post first). As a result, as has been said, we are putting more of our back catalogue up on download (the early videos, early magazines etc - all available at www.hits.sploshdownloads.com). Also, slowly, bit-by-bit, I think the website is beginning to offer all the things the mag did (and more) for free! For readers' letters we have the forum, we have free photo sets (like Red's this Easter), we have free films and the Blog has elements of Hayley's Hints and some of the other magazine features.

Of course, you can't enjoy the internet in your favourite armchair like a magazine, and I like something I can read/look at in comfort so I am not saying we'll never do another 'physical product' you can walk around with ever again. Mind you, if the iPad and iBooks catch on perhaps we will all be able to do it that way.

It is pleasing that people remember the mag fondly though - and I should point out that issues 12-40 are still available as back issues (though No 25 is about to go forever!).

PS As a man trained in putting magazines together, believe me, having a skill that is no longer required makes me feel like a real dinosaur - so if there was any excuse (lottery win?) to do it again I would.

[dougiezerts]

Thanks for your thoughts. Personally, I still enjoy magazines and DVD's--hell, even VHS tapes!

[BillShipton]

At least VHS tapes worked! Had more glitches with DVDs than we ever did with tapes!!

[dougiezerts]

I've noticed that, too! VHS tapes occasionally have dropouts, but at least you can play them through. DVD's sometimes have glitches that prevent you from playing the damned thing!