2979 Italy mag

Ah ha! You must be in the Uk as our copy has not arrived yet and will probably not do so for some time! Oh the joys of living in Italy.
Yes as a subscriber since the very early days we have noticed a change in the magazine over the years.......less articles.......more advertising. We do wonder (sadly)if it still answers our requirements now that we are actually living here. Expect it will depend on how we feel on the day the subscription renewal request arrives!

Mr Saddo here just counted 44 pages of advertsing out of a total of 98 (45%) in the current issue of Italy mag.

Other magazines I have to hand: The Week with 13 pages of adverts out of 47 (28%) and The Economist with 58 out of 114 (51%).

I have no idea what all that means.

I do know that if you want to see an absurd amount of advertising in a periodical you should flick through a computer magazine the next time you're in a newsagent. It's common for some of these to pass the 700 page mark with less than 100 pages of editorial content.

Al

could well be that they need to have so much advertising to pay for running this site...maybe best not to worry too much

Not worried about the advertising personally. Always browse them out of interest. The disappointment is that there are less articles to read.

Seemingly less articles [with more and larger photos in them] and more adverts - are they running out of things to say?

I guess there are two things going on here. On the one hand a more succesful magazine has more people wanting to advertise and on the other hand there are the normals pressures of the market.

Everyone at Italy Mag takes all these issues very seriously (after all the magazine started out of pure love and passion for Italy) and I am sure you will agree that the content remains true to that.

I will be forwarding this to Melissa and Fiona for their own answers as well.

All the best - Ronald

Thanks Ronald for your posting and telling us that this thread will be drawn to the attention of Fiona and Melissa.
Our latest copy of the magazine has still not arrived. Has anyone elses,in Italy, we mean?

As I am the publisher of Italy Mag and decide the pagination,quality of paper etc.I'd like to thank the forum members for expressing their concerns and giving me the opportunity to paint some perspectives.(The subject is worth a book!)
Most magazines either gain their revenue from advertising revenue or circulation revenue and they have their own characteristics.The Economist,Spectator and Private eye are circulation driven(low production values ,high frequency(weekly or fortnightly) high subscription price- and very thin paper to keep the postage cost down).Italy Magazine has to depend in the main on advertising revenues and we have high production values,ie top grade and weight paper so that we enable the photographers work to the best effect,Each page or spread is crafted and designed by a talented and experienced team of designers.(not needed on circulation driven titles)In my thirty years of magazine publishing I have never worked with such a talented team such as the one that produces Italy mag.
My vision is of a beautifully crafted magazine working in partnership with the No 1 website on the subject.Both products are sophisticated in content and style.(Congratulations to Ronald for his website achievents in just 12 months)(Congratulations to Fiona and the team for their success and help over the four years with the magazine)
Some Realities
Neither the Italian economy or the UK economy is buoyant at the moment.
During the last four years High St. retailers and supermarkets now demand promotional monies with the threat that you will be delisted if you do not pay.
At the launch I spent £20,000 on newstrade promotion -Last year it was £100,000.
And yes the magazine has helped subsidise the building of the website!
How do you measure a magazine?
Are the readers happy-Yes with a few concerns.
Does it have the highest newstrade circulation in its market- Yes
Does it have the highest number of subscribers-Yes
Does it have the highest number of advertising pages-Yes
Does it have the highest amount of advertising revenue -Yes
Does the team have great fun and passion in our work-certainly

The Magazine and its values
Most of business life is a compromise.We believe in high standards.I can do any or all of the following:
Print on lower quality paper- the photographs won't look so good and the reader won't say wow! as they do on occassion
Print more editorial pages- lower design values,paper values content values.
Not have advertising, print only content and pics, each issue would cost c£7.50+
I look forward to your opinions,advice and help

Peter Shaw
Publisher

I would just like to say that I really enjoy Italy magazine the way it is and I am so grateful for this forum for giving me the chance to indulge my passion for Italy on a regular basis.

Hello everyone,

In my own personal opinion I think the Italy Magazine is good value for money, especially with the excellent quality of paper that is used. The photos especially the scenic ones, would not look half as good on inferior quality of paper.
I especially like the Dual Language pages, as I try and read the Italian version first, without cheating and looking at the English version to get the meaning!
Also, I like the recipes and often copy them into a folder I am making up of all different things to do with Italy.
There are a lot of adverts especially on purchasing property, but for the people who are buying, these sites must be of good use to them.
I think there is something for everyone in this magazine.
Keep up the good work.

Francesca

Peter,

Browsing through the Feb 2006 edition of Italy mag on page 82 ( On the
theme of Eastern Liguria) I noted a photo of a village..........alas no name or caption relating to it.

An unfortunate oversight perhaps?!

Peter Thankyou for your detailed reply much appreciated. Just wanted to say that how ever much one comments on the ratio of advertising to editorial articles Italy Magazine is the best in the genre. Personally we think it is streets ahead of the rivals that have appeared in the last couple of years!
Keep up the good work. The latest issue arrived with us here in Italy today and we have already dipped in to look at our favourites, dual language and both of Fiona's regular contributions.

I read Italy Mag. from time to time, and find it very well put together, especially the photos on high quality paper makes me reach for the next issue, whenever it arrives in our bookstore.

In my humble opinion, I would leave it as it is. Surely, the Mag. cannot please everyone all the time, it is mission impossible after all. At the same time, I am glad to read that the publisher, himself, took the time to respond, and does respect everyones opinion, which I do as well.

First time in this (or any) chatroom! Italy has to be one of the best produced magazines I have ever bought. The photos are outstanding and I love the recipies and particularly the dual language feature BUT the amount of non ad content is shrinking and this is a concern. I would like to see more "real" i.e. not "live the dream" or "holiday" content e.g more on history, politics etc. in addition to the present content. There are lots of great stories e.g how did the Vatican State get its present status (Lateran Treaties with Mussolini), the present (astonishing, compared to other European countries) law on assisted reproduction...How about a focus on a particular iconic film each month? Something about exactly what each of the branches of the police do? A diary of someone trying to learn Italian in the UK? Commision a student on their year abroad during a degree course to do a monthly diary? Or is this too far removed from the dream?

This website is great and I know we would alll miss it if Italy Magazine dropped it. so that alone is why Italy Magazine is doing a great job. Maybe the Magazine could take advantage of its forum members to write "helpful to expats" or "Italian cultural differences" articles that would appear both on the site and the magazine?
Living in France, we have a free magazine, paid by adveritsing mainly (some subscriptions) called the Riviera Reporter. Its design is dreadful - obviously no art directors - and its information is spotty, pompous and annoying, but it is still important because there's no one else really targeting expats. and every issue it talks about something helpful to expats whether it's banking, medical, insurance, crime, loans, etc.
Magazines - and radio stations - are expensive and hard to run and I salute anyone who does it. I've read that there's also another magazine called the "Informer" but I don't know it and probably there are some other newspapers or magazines.
If advertising keeps down the price and keeps the magazine going, I don't think we can complain too much.
What about an article on an area of Italy each issue with some photos (obviously that's costly printing) - again the forum members may be able to be "free" employees???? There's another French newspaper by subscription that focuses each month on a differnt area (as well as overalll French stuff) and lists practical vocabulary for renovation, etc. for living in the country.
really the question is - is the website and magazine worth more existing or if neither existed, would it not be missed? I think they would be missed. and who knows, there might be periodically an ad that interests you.
Anyone out there want to start a newspaper or magazine - I don't think so!!!
sarah
PS if you want to know about living in France - I have a lot to say!

sarahd 'I have a lot to say about living in France'
Assume you must think Italy is better and that is why you have joined the forum?
Apologies that this is off thread but curious!!!

[QUOTE=FionaC]I would like to see more "real" i.e. not "live the dream" or "holiday" content e.g more on history, politics etc. in addition to the present content. There are lots of great stories e.g how did the Vatican State get its present status (Lateran Treaties with Mussolini), the present (astonishing, compared to other European countries) law on assisted reproduction...How about a focus on a particular iconic film each month? Something about exactly what each of the branches of the police do? A diary of someone trying to learn Italian in the UK? Commision a student on their year abroad during a degree course to do a monthly diary? Or is this too far removed from the dream?[/QUOTE]

"Live the dream" and "holiday" content is what sells magazines, and although Italy Magazine does have too many adverts, a lot of its readers actually find them a lot more useful and interesting than they would detailed articles about Italian history and politics.

[QUOTE=neilmcn]"Live the dream" and "holiday" content is what sells magazines, and although Italy Magazine does have too many adverts, a lot of its readers actually find them a lot more useful and interesting than they would detailed articles about Italian history and politics.[/QUOTE]

I agree totally, Neil. And as to those two particular subjects - well, Machiavellian or what! I don't think they have a place in a magazine like Italy. Mind you, the odd article throwing light on Italy's dark side (erm... not sure of the choice of words there!) would not go amiss, but the cynic in me suggests that all that would be required is an article on Berlusconi!!

I have to say that, although I will never make the move, I too look at the small adverts and on occasion visit some of the websites. The one that always tickles me is Buyatrulli........duh!

[QUOTE=adriatica]could well be that they need to have so much advertising to pay for running this site...maybe best not to worry too much[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=sarahd]This website is great and I know we would alll miss it if Italy Magazine dropped it.[/QUOTE]

Don't worry about the poor publishers of Italy Magazine using up their paultry profits to run the italymag.co.uk website for the good of us all. Thanks to the (well paid I'm sure) labours of Ronald this is an extremely well monetized website with a wide reach in a genre with big spending advertisers.

I would give the publishers 50,000 Euro cash tomorrow for the website if they are 'struggling' as long as they continue to advertise it in the magazine and don't create another 'official' Italy magazine website.

[QUOTE=Peter Head] I too look at the small adverts and on occasion visit some of the websites.[/QUOTE]

Run that one past me again Peter..... you're the editor and you look at the [i]small[/i] adverts? Whoa, cancel my order for the back page! ;-)

Marc - I'm not Peter the Editor!!! He's far more sensible than I!!

sarahd 'I have a lot to say about living in France'
Assume you must think Italy is better and that is why you have joined the forum?
Apologies that this is off thread but curious!!!

All countries has their faults and good points. My husband and I have always loved Italy and feel its people better represent "la joie de vivre" with their smiling faces than does France with their belief that to smile is to seem naive and stupid! However I love both. As an Italian friend once said "my heart is in Italy, my head in France" we felt the south of France might mix them! but we still hope to be in Italy soon. the advantage to France was that we speak French. There is no "perfect" country, just as there are no "perfect" people but doesn't that make life more stimulating?
I'm glad that Italy Magazine and the website are doing well and therefore will continue.
sarah