Open Source Fishing Mags?

  • Thread starter john conway (CSG - ACA)
  • Start date
J

john conway (CSG - ACA)

Guest
On our way back from ASDA the other day there was a program on Radio 4 about a new trend in industry which was copying Lynx the open source version of Windows. It was about LEGO setting up an open source design forum were anyone who was a LEGO enthusiast could write or email in new design ideas for LEGO to use. They didn't get paid they just enjoyed playing with LEGO. This got our lass and I talking about open source Internet forum magazines and whether this would lead to the slow death of the conventional sports magazine?How many customers do you think FM has taken away from AT and the likes?Without doubt, in my mind, FM has a more varied selection of articles and in a lot of circumstance better written articles.I think there will always be a niche for the more specialist Mags like Water Log but I'm not too sure about AT and the likes? I can see times when you may want to purchase a Fishing Mag, like finding something to do while shopping with the wife or on holiday or a long train journey etc., but would this volume be enough to sustain a National Fishing Mag?
 
B

BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
I get the odd copy of course Fsherman for the occasional article. Other than that this forum tells me all I want to know. Plus the people on here who I can contact.

Last night me and a mate were agreeing with each other that angling is going around in circles at the moment with nothing new happening. Then I mentioned the Korda DVD that has come out, and for free. Okay nothing exactly new in it, but it is full of information. All credit they are doing something that nobody else is doing, and I enjoyed every minute of the DVD. I found that for the likes of myself, it was quite instructional.


More to the point, I heard about it here on this forum.
 
J

john conway (CSG - ACA)

Guest
Another example of open source design, right here on this site, was that of the FM Concept Rod, designed by members of this site with no reward other than enjoyment and satisfaction.Once a new memberhas picked up the rudiments of navigating the FM site there are literally hundreds of hours of good reading.Perhaps a suggestion to the FM team for the future would be to scan into an FM Library all the non-copyright fishing books.
 
C

Chris Bishop

Guest
Latest circulation figures are:

Angling Times 57,091

Anglers Mail 32,639

Improve Your Coarse Fishing 60,028

They're sales are all declining - like just about all other printed media. The internet's obviously got a lot to do with that.

I've taken more interest in the weeklies over the last 18 months or so and think they're both better than they've been in a long time, despite the fact they're now both fairly narrow in focus and very driven by a particular target market.
 
Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}

Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC}

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
956
Reaction score
3
Location
Newmarket, Suffolk
I use the forums on here and other sites, but rarely ever take the trouble to read the various articles. I'm sure they are every bit as good as those in the mags, but I just find myself prefering to browse a book or magazine ratherthan stare atmy computer screen. I know it's daft, but somehow the fact that a piece appears in a mag gives it much greater credence for me. An age thing maybe?

I also find a book or mag to be still infinitely more accesible than the internet. Despite great leaps in technology It's still not too easy to cart a computer around with you.
 
B

BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
It's easier to find articles on forums like this one, than in a magazine though.
 
S

Sean Meeghan

Guest
You soon won't need to buy a mag whilst shopping or on a train John. You'll be able to browse the web on your phone at broadband speeds. I know that the size of the screen is a problem at the moment, but this will soon be overcome if the demand is there.

The web still suffers from a lack of image and, as Chris Hammond says, you've not really made it until you've been published in on of the monthlies. I'm not sure how or if this will change. You'd probably have to have a seperate section on a site like FM with carefully vetted articles and maybe even staff writers. Payment would be an issue and I think that it would probably have to be some sort of payment in kind, such as sponsorship.

I suspect the change will be a gradual one with partnerships such as the Coarse Fisherman - FM gradually switching over to the web site being dominant with the mag being published less often and maybe moving up market. I suspect there's room for more mags of the quality of Waterlog, but a little less idiosynchratic.
 
C

Chris Bishop

Guest
In magazines and newspapers in print form, you get the current month/week's worth of content.

If you missed something two months back, last season or five years ago; you can't easily get your hands on it.

With websites you can easily search the archives and over time, it really does build a useful library of articles, reviews etc.
 
S

Spiros

New member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
A distinct possibility in the future would be downloadable magazines which you have to pay for (similar to the way music can be downloaded from itunes).

In terms of reading from computer screens - types are being worked on at the moment specifically designed for reading purposes.

In the future both formats will still be on the go in my opinion, national newspapers now publish online copy but still sell well in paper format.
 
S

Steve Lockett

New member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
It seems more & more people want something, or everything, for free.

While it is all well and good for the exchange of information, what would be the response of workers in car factories if a manufacturer started giving away free cars?

I wonder what the response would be from the likes of Korda if I started giving away free carp end gear?

I think it is a worrying trend.
 
S

Spiros

New member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Steve Lockett,
Look at the response from the music industry regarding music file sharing, which they see as theft.
 
J

John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T.

Guest
I personally have not got the patience or the inclination to read long articles or even helppages on a PC screen, and printing items off is not something I like doing either. The most attractive point to me with magazines/books is that I can sit and read whilst doing other things.(like watching TV soaps /forum/smilies/eye_rolling_smiley.gif)With a PC monitor/laptop its that or nothing.

Incidentally John, Waterlog has a goodarticle, written by one of my club members,on the river Wear/NE coarse fishing in the new issue. Not received my copy yet but someone e-mailedme it as a pdf.
 
B

Bill Cox

Guest
One of the major problems with magazines is the lack of anything new in them. As a sourse of info on venues or catch reports they still have some credence but all in all you can get anything you need to know off the net. I would say more new ideas and theories can be gleaned on a major fishing site such as FM or FW some of the articles on FM are excellent and far exceed the dross to be found in the angling press, plus as Baz says youalso have in a lot of cases direct access to the people coming up with the innovative ideas. I think we should change the name of the site however to pay homage to its driving force. How do the initials GM'sFM sound./forum/smilies/hot_smiley.gif
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2002
Messages
4,479
Reaction score
841
Location
Azide the Stour
All I can say is that FM has given me a writing opportunity too good to miss. In five years FM has published over 180 articles for me (20 underdifferent names!) and given me a chance to devlop and experiment with writing techniques that I could never find in the papers and magazines. That said given time I intend to send more to the monthlies. But my output on here is the equivalent of being in CF and CAT every month for the past five years which can't be bad.

It has also brought the opportunity to write a book collaboratively with Graham (proofs due this week) that I'm sure is a direct result of writing on FM.Now also getting stuck into a second book.

There is room for talented new writers on FM and far more chance of getting a break. It might not pay but the rewards eventually come.
 
T

Terry Comerford

Guest
'Latest circulation figures are:

Angling Times 57,091

Anglers Mail 32,639

Improve Your Coarse Fishing 60,028'

That's less than 10% of licensed anglers per week between them.

'I've taken more interest in the weeklies over the last 18 months or so and think they're both better than they've been in a long time, despite the fact they're now both fairly narrow in focus and very driven by a particular target market.'

10% is notmuch of a target market success storyis it?

Why don't 90% of anglers buy the top three angling papers/mag?
 
C

Cakey

Guest
they will sell lots more if they offered e-mags .........................................
 
G

Graham Marsden (ACA)

Guest
I think there will always be a market for both print and screen media, with each complimenting the other. I too prefer to read off a printed page than a screen. I don't know why but it just feels more comfortable. The latest idea from Sony is its eBook Reader, andno doubtthis idea will be developed more with the machine having access to websites like FM and to online versions of newspapers.
 
C

Cakey

Guest
I brought an e-book on carp fishing which I put on to dvd for safety and I thought the idea was superb ,make the letters as big as you need ,photos were superb ,the only drawback is there will be no 1st edition value
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top