Today, I got The Current email newsletter from the ARRL. This newsletter discusses what’s new in the latest editions of QST, On the Air, QEX, and the National Contest Journal (NCJ). For example, the featured article from the March 2024 QST is “Common Mode Current and Common Mode Chokes” by Larry Lamano, WA0QZY.
When I read that, it occurred to me that I hadn’t even looked at the February issue yet. So I reached for my tablet and pulled up the February issue. Sure enough, I didn’t recall reading any of the articles. I bet I’m not alone.
This is a bad thing on several counts. First of all, going all digital like this is going to inevitably reduce readership. I’m not talking about the number of subscriptions (although that’s probably going to decline, too), but the number of eyeballs that actually read the magazine. Fewer people reading the magazine is going to lead to fewer people seeing the advertisements, and ultimately, making QST advertisements less effective. And, if the advertisements are less effective at attracting customers, these companies will eventually pull their advertisements, and the ARRL will make less money from advertising.
(Come to think of it, I’m a QST advertiser, albeit a small classified ad subscriber. See below. I don’t do a very good job of tracking how well that ad performs, but it only costs $34/month. Perhaps I should discontinue the ad and see if my sales actually go down. Doing that could save me some money.)
Fewer readers means fewer engaged members
Secondly, fewer readers will mean less member engagement. QST is the main way that the ARRL communicates with its members. If people start to forget to read QST, they’ll be less likely to renew their membership when it expires. Not only that, they’ll be less like to contribute to the special interest funds, such as the Spectrum Defense Fund or the ARRL Foundation.
Rotary International understands this concept. As a member of Rotary, I get a print version of Rotary every month, even though advertising is now practically non-existent in the magazine. They know that keeping in touch with members is important. Engaged members participate in more service projects (which is what Rotary is all about) as well as contribute to the Rotary Foundation, which funds projects around the world. Rotary has had problems growing its membership in recent years, but I imagine that membership would be even more of an issue without Rotary magazine.
Where does the ARRL go from here?
I wonder if the ARRL has considered any of this. I also wonder if any of the advertisers were offered lower rates now that the print version is only going to those who paid for it. I know some of the advertisers. Maybe I’ll ask them how they feel about it.
I might suggest that they take a look at what the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) does. Advertising in Spectrum, the IEEE’s flagship publication, has dropped precipitously in recent years, but they continue to print it and send it to members. But, they have also created a series of eight special-interest newsletters based on that content, to which members can subscribe. Titles in the series include Tech Alert, and
If the ARRL did something similar, the titles might include Building/Homebrewing, Contesting, and VHF/UHF. They’re sort of doing this now with separate publications for contesters (NCJ), technical topics (QEX), and beginners (On the Air), but what I’m suggesting is that take all this content and reorganize it and be more targeted as to who they send it to. I will admit that this is only a partly-baked idea, but I do like the way that the IEEE delivers information to me.
I realize that this is a tough situation. The trade magazines that I worked for are now almost all gone. With some creative thinking, though, I think that the ARRL can continue to serve the members and advance amateur radio as well.
John KK6ZVQ says
Unfortunately, and providing further evidence that backs up your prediction, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of The Current newsletter. I don’t even know when new issues of QST and On the Air are released. I only found the February QST by checking at random. Some kind of email notification would be great. Maybe that already exists, I have no idea.
Dan KB6NU says
You can subscribe to The Current by logging in to the ARRL website, going to your profile, then clicking on the “Opt In/Opt Out” link under “Communications.”
Steve Stroh N8GNJ says
Man… they couldn’t POSSIBLY have made that MORE obscure. I would never have clicked on that if you didn’t provide the assurance that it was there.
I too was unaware of “The Current”. It will be interesting to see what that has to say for the remainder of my tenure as an ARRL member (renewed for three years, but won’t do so again).
Ed Durrant DD5LP says
Hi Dan,
A lot of what you have described, not only affects QST but all technical paper magazines.
Printing and distribution costs are a major part of the equation and while many ARRL members live outside of the US – having the digital only subscription is a better alternative than the high shipping costs and later delivery of the paper copy (at least for me). It is good that the ARRL provide a digital-only membership and a shame that the RSGB don’t offer a similar cost-related membership but in the case of the RSGB RadCom which is also available in digital form, the only international membership option includes the cost of shipping the paper copy (which sometimes never arrives but is always “late”).
The other part of the equation is how much does a technical magazine rely upon its advertisers to cover creation, publishing and distribution costs (never mind income to the organisation)? Once the advertisers decide the can use their advertising revenue elsewhere, most technical magazines will have problems keeping going.
It’s sad to see this as, I prefer a paper copy for exactly the reason you said, I often forget to read online editions but the future (IMHO) is that most if not all member’s magazines will soon only be available online. Print-on-Demand technologies if they became more mainstream (read cheaper) could be one option where those who want a paper copy pay for it at a local print shop (or print it themselves), while the association only provides an online version of the magazine.
I don’t know why it is but reading a magazine on a computer or tablet, does not give the same positive feeling as reading a printed magazine.
73 Ed DD5LP.
Mike says
Good morning Dan I very much enjoyed your post. I am retired and have been for almost 5 years now. I have the digital only QST and I find a month goes past and the Ipad has not be cracked open to QST. Having said that I also am a member of RSGB and the paper copy arrives each month (as DD5LP confirmed it does always arrive late) My RSGB membership is due next month its now 73.00 pounds or 124.00. I am going to pass on renewing BUT if there was a cheaper digital only option I may reconsider. Finally in my case the paper copy of Radcom from last month is still sitting to be read along with my digital copy of QST. I am retired but I guess I am busy too and actually when I have down time I look forward to reading both paper and digital magazines. The down time may not happen as often as I want too.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
Caryn KD2GUT says
Hi Dan, Many publications in my former industry (newspaper publishing) have gone to all-digital owing to the cost of paper and the expensive maintenance and upkeep of printing presses. Newspapers in hard copy do retain the older readers who are used to so-called “legacy media,” but younger readers do prefer digital. Magazines, however, are expected to have shelf-life and can be turned to again and again for information and to serve as a resource. As such, a hard-copy magazine really is preferable to its digital counterpart. While I am comfortable with digital media and have no trouble reading, say, The Washington Post, online, I do prefer my magazines to be something I can hold in my hand and page through. What a shame it has come to this.
Michael Daniel Boxell says
Been a member since 1991. Won’t be renewing. Everything is going up. Except income.
Chuck K4RGN says
I don’t doubt that in the short run, charging extra for paper QST will reduce readership. both statistically and effectively. But for how long? From what I can tell, the avalanche of SKs headed our way over the next 15 years will eliminate most of the people who are fervent about getting paper. Overall, the under 60s and especially the under 40s are much more aligned with paperless.
Of course, that same avalanche of SKs could eliminate most of the ARRL members. I think this is the more serious issue that the ARRL faces. It seems to me the paper QST issue is a short-term distraction. It’s unclear to me that in 2040 there will even be a QST — or, for that matter, an IEEE Spectrum (IEEE membership in the U.S., aside from students and first-year graduates who have low renewal rate, has been falling steadily for years). Converting magazines to electronic-only delivery is just a temporary stop on a journey to extinction. Social media will eventually take over everything.
Patrick Mannion, W1PAC says
I just received the March issue of QST, if I recall, I got an option to buy the remaining issues of my membership term… (which runs until April).
I never did receive the February issue though.
Dave New, N8SBE says
I’ve been on a cleaning jag, and that meant that most anything on paper went to the recycler, including decades of Byte magazine, QSTs going back to the 40’s, and other periodicals that frankly I had never accessed again in any meaningful way. Oh yes, hundreds of paperback books went to the local library sale, since for years now I’ve only read new books on my Kindle. Same for CD’s (family Spotify subscription), and DVD’s and BluRays (streaming services) Frankly with very few exceptions, I’ve NEVER watched a movie more than once – who has the time with all the new stuff coming out?
With all that stuff gone, there is a great weight lifted – “care and feeding”. I now weigh any new items brought into the house on that “care and feeding” premise. If I perceive that it will be more trouble to maintain than I will likely enjoy having it, it doesn’t make the grade. That includes building/maintaining storage space to house it until I decide to throw it out.
Given all that background, you likely wouldn’t be surprised when ARRL asked me as a life member if I would like to opt out of getting printed copy of QST, that I took them up on the offer.
Now, if only they’d stop sending them to me, we’d be all set. It was supposed to end in December, but I keep getting issues in the mail.
Scott says
If discontinuing the printed issues of ARRL publications was mentioned to the membership I was not aware of it. Possibly overlooked the notification. I realize everything has gone up except, for us pensioners, income. It seems to be a minor form of “breach of contract” to not honor the printed publications for those of us that paid the normal membership dues which at the time included printed publications. I’m sure, well maybe, management has already made sacrifices themselves to keep expenses in check.
I just realized that multiple years of downloaded QST magazines have mysteriously disappeared from my tablet. No other digital publications were affected on the tablet…..strange. Anyway, I suspect suspending the print issues will have ramifications probably not thought of yet.