Internet Competition Killing Off Adult Magazines
from the leading-indicators dept
It’s no secret that there’s an awful lot of porn online – and much of it is free. If that’s the case, who’s still buying the paper versions of adult magazines? The answer appears to be almost no one, as subscriptions have dropped off and many adult magazines may end up shutting down, as they were unable to respond to the internet threat. While some operations have expanded onto the internet and other forms of content such as movies, the magazine business appears to have collapsed. What’s interesting to me is whether or not this is a “leading indicator” for other sorts of paper magazines. Porn websites are often considered innovators in adopting new technologies – and perhaps their innovators in driving those who can’t adapt out of business as well.
Comments on “Internet Competition Killing Off Adult Magazines”
Shame Factor
Porn consumers would prefer not to buy magazines in stores staffed by e.g. teenage girl cashiers who get upset at such purchases.
The same doesn’t apply for normal magazines, though.
Re: Shame Factor
For once I agree with Dorpus (though not about the teenage girls – they are unlikely to be embarassed in slightest, it is older people who are likely to be upset). People view porn on the net because they can do it in private. What is needed is some information about porn magazines in countries where there is not a stigma attached to them.
This is news?
This is old news
Other Magazines
In response to “whether this is a leading indicator for all magazines”, my opinion is that it would depend on the magazine. Magazines like Vogue, Elle, etc. have websites that provide useful tools like renewing subscriptions and such, but most of the content remains in the paper version. And unlike the website, the paper version you can take with you.
MLO
Porn mags differ sufficiently from other mags
I hope the same fate will not befall other types of magazines. Porn is special in these regards:
(1) The porn stories and text on the web are just as good as those in the mags, because well-written, original porn is pretty much an oxymoron.
(2) Until a few years ago, the mags offered higher resolution and clearer pictures. Now the web offers very high res stills and good quality video that the mags lack altogether; and, they are easier than ever to download.
(3) In most areas, specialization is better for magazines. In porn, the ability of the web to offer every kind of kink to every degree is a great advantage. Specialization in Porn mags just limits readership.
Magazines in general should still succeed with a combination of intelligent specialization, well-selected pictures, decently written text, and good editorial opinion.
– The Precision Blogger
http://precision-blogging.blogspot.com
Re: Porn mags differ sufficiently from other mags
> (1) The porn stories and text on the web are just as good as those in the mags, because well-written, original porn is pretty much an oxymoron.
Yeah… I read “Jugs” for the articles.
JFCWAI
...of course
This is what happens when the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
Beyond the fact that porn is about getting your endorphin fix without the nasty prospect of receiving a STD in return, there’s an odd little nitch of Internet porn that is about making fantasy become reality (STD’s be damned).
AKA Friendster or adult friend finder or whatever pimps and swingers are calling themselves on the internet this hour.
Some of it is farily innocent like voyeurweb.com, but there’s is other stuff, espically in other countries, that are essentially legalizing prostition and increasing the likelyhood of a “kentic solution” to the standard endorphin fix problem.
It’s pretty hard to get that kind of “fulfillment” through a magazine.