[CQ-Contest] CQ Magazine

[AB2E Darrell]

Hi all,
Long post - hit delete key if not interested.

The costs of production of any printed media has risen astronomically. I believe QST addressed its using lower-gloss/thinner paper (i.e. cheaper) as a supply issue, and I've seen nothing since that happened, but QST is still using the other paper. Five years ago, I could walk into Staples and buy a 500sheet ream of paper for $3 o4 $4 on sale. Today's price on Amazon is over $16.
CQ is obviously struggling with this, and being a privately held company (versus a national organization w/publication which is QST), I can understand how they must be having trouble with this.
In reality, they have pretty much gone all digital at this point.
I think my last printed copy was April or May. I am still subscribed to both, but going forward, will likely renew digital only.
Digital delivery has been reliable via Zinio, and an email arrives from CQ each month.

We don't have to look very far to see the problems occurring in print media.
I live in southern NJ, and all my life the Philadelphia Inquirer was the most popular daily/Sunday paper.
Until early 2000s, the daily edition was 75-100 pages and cost a quarter. Today it is maybe 15-20 pages, and costs $2.95.
The Sunday edition rose from $1.50 to $4.95 a few years ago.
I looked up circulation figures, and in the late '60s - early '70s circulation was over 1 million. In March 2023, its circulation is now around 50,000. The paper is a shadow of its former self, as advertisers flee to the Internet and social media.

I only cite these figures as the bigger picture of the problem facing CQ and other hobby or specialty interest magazines with a limited circulation base.

Don't be surprised if print editions disappear entirely from the market across all platforms within a decade.

73
Darrell AB2E

________________________________
I can't remember the last issue of CQ I received.

When 73 Magazine called it quits I had just renewed my subscription, and
when I asked for a refund was basically told, "tough nuts". Let's hope CQ
doesn't go the same way.

73,
Vince K4JC


On Wed, Sep 27, 2023, 7:14 PM <john at kk9a.com> wrote:

> I am wondering if anyone has recently received physical copies of CQ
> Magazine?  My label shows a valid subscription until January 2025 but I
> have
> not received a single issue in six months.  The circulation department has
> been unresponsive.  This has happened previously but I thought their
> problems were resolved.  I know that the magazine is available online for
> an
> extra charge but I prefer the physical copy, especially for the issues with
> the WPX contest results.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
>
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