Comments on: Sean the Blogonaut confirms – he’s reading the Skeptic

By: SeandBlogonaut

SeandBlogonaut — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:39:58 +0000

I can understand if you are subscribing to a few magazines it can get pricey. I buy the skeptic because it's Australian, has content that is original and several bloggers are contributors. I the end though I do see magazines slowly being phased out, maybe we will over to a membership model.

By: vjack

vjack — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:55:18 +0000

I used to subscribe to a couple mags like this but just couldn't justify the cost anymore. I feel like I can get equally good stuff from the multitude of blogs I visit.

By: SeandBlogonaut

SeandBlogonaut — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:39:15 +0000

I thought he was a poe. Turns out he's just a wanker

By: John_Evo

John_Evo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:32:27 +0000

It's almost certainly "Gideon". To see what a piece of work this guy is, see him in my last few posts' comments and check him out at Philly's place and dailydoseofr.blogspot.com. He's a homophobic, misogynistic, ignorant theist. The worst of the worst. Sorry if I led him here.

By: SeandBlogonaut

SeandBlogonaut — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:02:10 +0000

I pay for a subscription to Crikey magazine, they offer some free content as well as a paid service. I have no idea how successful they are though.

On a totally unrelated note some one has been using the search term "john evo" gay to find there way here to this blog – have you got a stalker ?

By: John_Evo

John_Evo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:16:46 +0000

I don't know if "pay per view" is going to work either. People are just too accustomed to free content. The only solution I can see is ad revenue. The problem with that is that volume of readers will be rewarded, and top-notch material like you'd find at Skeptic Mag, Discovery, Cosmos, etc. doesn't drive traffic. I guess if they make the pay-per-view very low cost (per article) and make it easy and safe to get billed (something like PayPal) then maybe they can supplement their ad revenues that way. I don't know. The next 5 to 10 years is going to be very interesting for the publishing industry. Only books look safe to me right now.

By: SeandBlogonaut

SeandBlogonaut — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:11:36 +0000

I hear you on that one John. I must say the thought did cross my mind when deciding whether or not to resubscribe again. Two or three of the articles are by well known skeptical bloggers and podcasters I wasn't sure if I were paying for something I might have already read a version of. It wasn't the case though and I found myself reading the entire magazine this time.

I wonder if t better way for skeptical organisations to go is to provide pay for view content online? Another thing that is worthy of mention is that in terms of uptake of internet services Australia does lag somewhat behind the rest of the developed world

By: John_Evo

John_Evo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:19:39 +0000

I used to subscribe but, like with all magazines, I seldom got my money's worth. Magazines were something of great value in waiting rooms, prior to laptops and multi-function cell phones. The internet really has punched published media in the guts.