Anybody notice how the trade magazines are shrinking?

EC&M this month is 42 pages!

Professional Builder mag folded for a while but has recently come back. I guess everyones advertising budget is down.

Part of this is on account of our suffering economy - and part is one of the unforseen consequences of the "internet revolution.'

Look aroud you at other publications - magazines as well as newspapers. They're all much smaller. Quite a few have folded. I already receive several 'newstand' magazines free over the internet.

Besides the magazine, the electric west 2010 last year was not what it used to be. As Reno mentioned "Internet Revolution"

the human touch/interaction and the tangible feeling is slowly fading.

i am wondering how it will be for our kids and grand kids. it scary when i think about it.

What trade magazines? I tried at least 10 times to get a free subscription to EC&M and they will not give me one.

As for Electrical Contracting, I still get that magazine and I love to read it. I get to see the new products that are out there. I love to read the code questions and the have some great articles that I read.

Yes, the newspapers have shrunk. The classified sections, and auto ads are very minimal. The obituaries are now a lot bigger (print size). Time magazine may someday arrive in an envelope!

Personally, I still like the 'feel' of the magazine, and the newspaper over reading it 'on-line'. Perhaps, one of those 'kindle' things is in all our futures?

John,

I prefer to read newspaper over the Net myself. I especially love reading the comics!

Our newspaper has become about half the size it used to be. The print is so small that I can't even read it any more, so I canceled my subscription. I've had to resort to reading the news on-line.

I've noticed the same thing with magazines. With the exception of Arlington Industries, you sure don't see as much advertising in our trade magazines.

@Niko: I'm guessing that in many instances, our kids and grand kids won't know the difference, since they won't have known any better. Kind of like phones with cords.

Harold I was getting EC&M for a while but it stopped. I guess they figure inspectors don't buy much

Harold:

http://subscribe.ecmweb.com/subscribe.cfm?tc=NNWEB

Greg,

I guess EC&M doesn't want us to know about the new products that are coming out. I used to love reading that magazine, and I use to keep every issue. I loved reading the code questions, new products, and pictures of the code violations. Some were taken by our friend Joe.When EC&M dumped me several years ago, I threw out all my mags.

Joe,

I give up! I tried to subscribe in every which way possible. I wrote to them using as a contractor. I wrote with as an AHJ, and I even tried using the different towns that inspected. They wouldn't give me an issue, I even asked if I could buy it, but I didn't get a response from them.

Harold: You may have missed this link:
http://subscribe.ecmweb.com/subscribe.cfm?tc=NNWEB
Take a look and subscribe.

Send me your address, etc., in an email message and all other information so that I can be sure that it gets to the right person.

You do know, however, that the online version is always available, see my web page

www..joetedesco.org

Joe,

Thanks anyway, but don't bother. I haven't read that mag in such a long time, I find out more here on this board.

A really nice compliment for ECN!!! Thanks Harold!!

John,

I started out in this business in 1975. My boss would make me read the NEC to make sure that we were doing the job correctly. He also would allow me to read his EC&M mags. Then I got my own subscription. Later in the years the mag became free and I stayed with it. I loved to do the quizzes, I read Joe when he wrote code in the columns, I always like to see what's new out in the filed. Then Joe started to "Find the violation" pictures, and I use to scour them with a fine tooth comb. However times got tough and prices rose and I understand. Joe and I were on *P* back then and I learned that there is nothing better than learning from my fellow peers. I enjoyed the web chats and bulletin boards. I have been on several other beside here, but I always come back. There is never any flaming on this board. People here treat you with respect and listen to one another. I enjoy that and I like to put my 2 cents in here when I can. I apologize, that I am usually "Johnny come lately" and I don't get here as much as I like to. The people here are not just electricians, AHJ's they are also like friends. I will try to be here as long as I can.

Harold:

To be reminded of Prodigy and when we discussed the NEC brings me back to around 1990-91. Where are all of those members now?

I still talk to Ed now and then and Caper is here. Four out of 8 isn't bad for a 20 year old gang.

Greg:

I was leaving to come home to the USA when I met Walter Specht who had just arrived in Bagdad, Iraq in November 2009.

Walter's parents lived in the town next to me. Do you remember when Walter's wife passed away?

I would love to get back in contact with The Sheriff. He used to teach at DCCC in Pa. but I don't know what he is up to these days.

Yes, we were in Mystic, CT. I do not know where Wally is these days.

I remember meeting Don in Orlando at the Jr College when we were taking our tests. He passed away a year or so after that. It was sad because he was such a young guy.

Greg,

Don wasn't he the EC that worked at a theme park down there?

Yes Don Carlson, worked at Disney.

A few weeks ago one of North America's major publishers of trade mags based here in Winnipeg announced that due to the value of the Canadian dollar they were closing down their press plant and outsourcing to a location in the US.

If I remember the news properly about 200 staff were let go.

Work coming into the US??? Sounds odd.

Hopefully someday soon this financial mess we are all in will straighten out.

The printing is going to a plant in Fargo ND about 3 1/2 hours south of us.

I guess with computers and fiber optic lines the printing plant and the design departments don't have to be in the same building anymore.

It sort of makes sense they are moving as most of the trade mags they produce are for the US market. Right now they print them here and then truck them across the border for mailing.

I wonder what the City of Fargo gave them for the move.

Flood protection for sure Red River keeps wanting to come over its banks every year now in the spring.

The company that got the publishing contract owns a number of newspapers in ND, SD and MN so they probably have excess press time with the way the newspapers are shrinking.

I was just doing a little reading and found years ago they moved the head office to Gainsville Fl. and left Winnipeg as the administrative office and press plant.

Anybody notice how the trade magazines are shrinking?


a relief!, i thought i was getting bigger!

~S~

Greg,

I went down to Disney and saw Don. He took my family back stage of the rides. It was so neat, he showed me how the ride worked. He showed me what the electricians at the studio do during the day and how they use computers to make the rides work correctly. I think I even have a picture of his son, on one of the studios with my son.

He offered that to me too but I never got the chance. He was far too young to go. It makes you rethink your mortality.

Greg,

How young was he and what did him in? Do you know?

I am guessing mid 30s and it was a heart attack.

Back to topic....

Electrical Contractor Mag seems to be holding on size.

John,

Sorry for straying. Don was a good friend of ours from the old *P* board. It is always tough to say goodbye to someone at such an early age.

As for Magazines. I still get EC mag and I love to read it from cover to cover. I like to look at the new items being offered to our trade.

Harold:

No need for the 'sorry'!! Yes, it is very tough to say 'goodbye' to our friends.

I started a subscription to a solar mag a few months back....quite interesting.

Today was the ASHRAE CEU seminar...one good book & now I need time to read it.

John,


I was going to go to that seminar but I wanted the ones on Bonding and grounding and pools. I took them instead. Also taking 2 days off in a row gets me backed up in all my towns, whereas when I get 1 day off, it is easier to recover.

Harold:
I only took the ASHRAE one (comm), my inspector is taking the other (Resi)

Yes, two days is tough!

Anybody eles have any trade mag opinions?

How about SolarPro Mag?

I guess my problem was ECM decided inspectors were not worthy and canceled my subscription. I am also going to toss IAEI over the side. That is not a $15 magazine. Locally we have the Electrical Council of Florida and they seem the best fit for me. Maybe they will make a magazine

We do get an E mag, newsletter or whatever you call it.