Zines – Dead or Alive – Or More Alive than Ever?

There has been a narrative for as long as we had the internet, that the internet was eventually going to kill all things physical, starting from books, libraries, banks, newspapers, music stores, telephones, and everything else which came from the “old world”.

Fast forward to 2020 and people still purchase books from bookstores, borrow them from libraries, purchase CDs, records even, not to mention still physically go to banks and buy newspapers. Landline phones are still around, and so is the radio. You know what’s also here? Magazines, or simply called, zines. They have been around since printing was around and they are still here, in more ways than one. Here is why.

A World of Advertisement – Magazines Might be the Alternative

Consider what you can read and watch online and you will most likely see (unless you have an ad blocker), that every single thing online has an advertisement. They all correspond to the things you search for, or the things people in your area search for. Magazines are a bit different, given that they have predetermined content to show you. Printed magazines might have something advertised, but magazines often go about showing the things they are interested in, not something someone pays them to. But, some magazines do advertise, which you are more likely to see in the online world. The site itself will more likely have ads, while the magazine might not, depending on the integrity of the publisher. It is great to take a break from all the advertisements (ad blockers).

Magazines Matter – Specific Topics Covered by Experts

Most sites deal with general topics, news and the like. Some sites do a good job of covering topics but they don’t have lengthy articles about a specific topic, something you are interested in. Given that oftentimes, people who cover certain topics are far from experts and will not take their time to write a lengthier piece, which is also due to people not wanting to read a long article, most enthusiasts turn to some form of magazine, online or offline. There is something in a magazine being delivered to you on a specific day and you opening it, smelling the printed paper and reading the content. This is why magazines will always be there, because of people who are willing to read, people who are interested in a topic (and there are MANY topics).

Magazines are Many – Just Like Radio Stations and TV Stations

It is very difficult to get rid of something which is so numerous. There are so many magazines worldwide. There would need to be a widespread shift in mentality all over the world in order for magazines to die. This is almost impossible and people don’t even shift their views when their lives are in danger, like in the case of a pandemic, for example. Given what was just written, magazines are very likely to stick around for a long time. 

Magazines, like most other mediums of expression, are likely here to stay, much to our delight.