Now we have looked at the various publishing payment models, this article will predict the future by looking at another aspect of magazines that are on the rise: ‘zines’ and independent (indie) magazines. What exactly are ‘zines’? They are different to commercial magazines – they are small-circulation, self-published magazines. With a high value on creativity, they focus less on the revenue and advertising side of things, and are therefore less affected by the changing media landscape. In fact, it appears that they have been on the rise in recent years. As the video below explains, "print is not dead". This video demonstrates the niche appeal of this highly creative trend, so much so that they are exhibited in galleries. “Commercial values are secondary to the expression of ideas, that seems to be the most important thing.” Early this year, Shutterstock’s 2019 Creative Trends Report forecasted that ‘zine culture’ will drive creativity in 2019, with a return to visual aesthetics of the past. The annual report highlighted the rise of zine culture as the core mainstream trend for creative people. According to the report, social media is a part of this evolution of the zine. Platforms like Instagram have allowed people to create their own cultures. While the ability to make your own independent zine has always been there, now people can tap into their own ready-made communities to share their zines online. Locally, there is a growing emergence of zine culture. The Museum of Contemporary Art holds an annual Zine Fair that showcases the work of ‘zinesters’, independent presses and artists from around Australia. Aside from self-published zines, indie magazines are also experiencing an increase in popularity. Vanessa Thorpe wrote in The Guardian that the growing trend of independent magazines epouse the counter-cultural idea of “slow journalism”. Whether they prioritise elegant looks or go for a niche, underground style, they all share the appeal of the tactile experience of printed paper. While they are more expensive for consumers, people still purchase them due to their aesthetic, creative appeal. With the smaller circulation rates comes a smaller need for advertising revenue. Young people, who are the readers of many of these niche titles, drive this need for indie magazines. “The boom must be fed by a feel for the exotic nature of print, rather than by nostalgia,” comments Thorpe. In Australia alone, there are independent magazines on any topic or sub-culture you could imagine. Skating, surfing, photography, cooking, fashion... the list goes on. Among the more successful titles are Hello May, Paper Sea, and Lunch Lady. Where larger scale publications may be struggling, these niche publications are thriving due to their focus on creative content over advertising. I predict that this is where the future of magazines is headed, and we will continue to see the rise of these indie, art-house journals over the commercial glossy magazines of the past. Image: Peter D Harris
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