The demise of EIM magazine

[mgnbukParticipant @mgnbuk]

WRITE SOMETHING

Nope – I don’t see myself as a author & don’t wish to use my retirement time finding a second career, thank you. Plus I have no interest in steam powered anything or railways, so anything I wrote would be outside the apparent scope of the current magazines anyway.

I did try to find circulation figures for the various model engineering magazines, but neither Mortons (ME, MEW)  or Warners (EiM) seem to use the ABC to audit their circulations – Nexus is the last publisher of ME who did so according to the ABC website – so no hard figures seem to be out there for public consumption.

But what did come across is the industry wide year-on-year decline (typically 5 -10% annually) in circulation for most printed media. I was very suprised to find Amateur Photographer magazine showing less than 10K sales. Some do appear to be bucking the trend – the editorial in one of the Bauer classic bike magazines this month specifically mentioned that circulation has increased by 3.5%-ish last year, but the ABC figures for Bauer’s motorcycle titles show most at around 30K – a figure that seems to be viable to employ staff writers to generate content (even if they are spread across several publications). I would guess the ME titles would be more around the AP figures (probably less) than the Bauer motorcycle magazines.

Last year 2 of the 3 specialist air gun magazines closed – two from the same publisher amalgamated & the other just closed with no notice. The writing has been on the wall for print media for a number of years now – a sad fact (for me as a long time consumer of such products) reinforced by a recent journey to NZ via the US – the airport terminal news stands in all 3 countries (UK, US & NZ) were a shadow of their former selves & looking at the cover prices vs the content for what remains I can’t say I am too suprised.

I actually “read” more magazines now that I ever did thanks to Readly, but will my £10 a month for unlimited access to most mainstream publications drip fed down to the publishers according to how long I spend “reading” their products be viable long term ? Sad to say but the time I spend on ME & EiM in particular is short because the self generated content just doesn’t do it for me. I had high hopes for the article about making camshafts, but that was dashed on “reading” two pages of rambling context generation and a few pictures – maybe the next installment will get more to the promised subject & not just fill 2 pages ?

If the liikes of hobby magazines are to be solely reliant upon the content provided by their existing (declining for many reasons) customer base as Martin suggests is the only way forward, then I feel it is only a matter of time before the currently surviving publications close. There may be a short term stay of execution by amalgamations (MEW content back into ME & the subsequent single larger, content magazine, moved to monthly publication), but the end is inevitable under the current business model IMO.

The world has moved on & print media appears to be dying a protracted death as other channels open up for people to indulge their interests. No amount of “writing something” will change that.

Nigel B.

[mgnbuk]

On mgnbuk Said:

 

The world has moved on & print media appears to be dying a protracted death as other channels open up for people to indulge their interests. No amount of “writing something” will change that.

Nigel B.

Those “other Channels” are something worth thinking about.

Could it be reading your favorite forum where as far as I know there are no model or home engineering ones that commission content, it is all freely posted by members.

Could it be watching your chosen Youtube Channels. Again apart from the odd indirectly “Sponsored review” type videos the rest are made by people filming what they get upto and editing and uploading the content. For some filming and editing becomes as much a hobby as the actual subject matter.

Same with Facebook and other social media, the model and full size old engine groups I follow are all content posted by group members

Is there anything else?

So where would that leave us if all those posting online content had the attitude that they are not going to contribute but just take what is there for free?

[mgnbukParticipant @mgnbuk]

So where would that leave us if all those posting online content had the attitude that they are not going to contribute but just take what is there for free?

I would have more sympathy with that argument if ME, MEW etc were free also, but ME is (IIRC) £5.25 per fortnight & MEW £5.85 an issue ? Some free online content is pretty mediocre (YouTube particularly), but there is quite a lot of high quality stuff around too – some better than mainstream broadcast programs IMO. But if they don’t “hit the spot” then all I have invested is a bit of time.

To get me to pay for either magazine (again – I have subscribed to both ME & MEW over an extended period in the past) there has to be a compelling reason – content – and currently I don’t see that there is. I stopped subscribing for a reason & the reason has not changed over the ensuing years. Same reason I stopped (expensively) subscribing to HSM and MW – not enough interesting content, so not providing value for money.

I appreciate that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, but there is a need to please a paying customer at least some of the time. Just filling pages with anything the readership happens to send in doesn’t cut it for me – and apparently others, as other comments on here have made clear.

Nigel b.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I’m puzzled to understand where these ‘professional’ writers are going to come from. If they are to be intimately connected with Model Engineering then that would be us wouldn’t it. If we want Model Engineering to thrive then I suggest the continued existence of ME and MEW is a good thing. I tend to view the publications as a kind of Hobby wide club magazine. Martin and Dianne and Neil are operating from inside the sphere of interest of the hobby and work hard at promoting model engineering. It’s a fact that these days the economic model is that the printing marketing and sales needs to be outsourced to a commercial concern such as Mortons but that’s just how it is.

regards Martin

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

As previously indicated … a series covering a thirteen year project describing something which is of little interest to me would be a very extravagant financial commitment on my part. So I do not personally mourn the loss of EiM.

I am, however,  grateful to those [like Jason] who provide sufficient detail on this forum for me to learn something from their experience, and apply that learning to my own interests.

In truth … My ‘Lazy’ continuation of the MEW subscription, might perhaps be best seen as my quiet way of supporting this forum … I like its interactive nature much better than the ‘classic’ long series of constructional articles.

MichaelG.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

If we want people to build stuff then construction articles are a must surely, but not too long please. As I said before I gave up on EIM when it got to part 98 of how to build a 9f (or something silly like that) . Model engineering is such a diverse hobby that there are bound to be articles which don’t interest me, and I’m sure that my arcane articles on valve gears were skipped over by a lot of people. After a long period in the doldrums ME has improved of late, I’m not going to name names, but some refreshing new ways of doing things have appeared

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

On mgnbuk Said:

 

The world has moved on & print media appears to be dying a protracted death as other channels open up for people to indulge their interests. No amount of “writing something” will change that.

Nigel B.

Those “other Channels” are something worth thinking about.

Could it be reading your favorite forum where as far as I know there are no model or home engineering ones that commission content, it is all freely posted by members.

Could it be watching your chosen Youtube Channels. Again apart from the odd indirectly “Sponsored review” type videos the rest are made by people filming what they get upto and editing and uploading the content. For some filming and editing becomes as much a hobby as the actual subject matter.

Same with Facebook and other social media, the model and full size old engine groups I follow are all content posted by group members

Is there anything else?

So where would that leave us if all those posting online content had the attitude that they are not going to contribute but just take what is there for free?

 

Even the magazines themselves are moving to new digital channels. My local library has ME, MEW, EIM and all of Mortons’ and Bauers’ motorcycle magazines free to read online through a service called Overdrive eMagazines. Library members can read their choice of hundreds, maybe thousands, of magazines online from home or wherever. (I kept up with MEW from upcountry Laos on my phone last month!) You can’t access back issues or download pages etc, just read current issue on screen. Presumably Mortons gets a royalty payment every time someone accesses their magazine.

It does away with expensive and carbon-producing printing and transport/distribution, I suppose. And if you want particular articles you can buy a single printed copy and have it delivered as well. Or I suppose screen shots for drawings etc.

But I suspect the online royalties may be like online advertising and not pay as much as the print version so maybe not a viable model for the future? IDK.

 

[LukerParticipant @luker]

There was a fantastic series on building a scale tramcar some time back. I personally have no interest in building tram cars, but I enjoyed the methods and write-up immensely. The series gave me a number of fresh ideas for my builds. I personally think construction series should be the backbone to convey new ideas and methods in model engineering. I can’t see anyone building the Fire Queen, it’s just a ridiculous build, but a construction series like that gives the contributor a nice platform to present and discuss new methods like backyard plating brass on mild steel, dealing with tolerance and assembly issues and even developing new alloys for live steam cylinders. I’ve never understood the ‘I don’t like steam, so I won’t read the series’ argument. The methods used in constructing models are relatively common across a very broad range of ME interests. I would argue that steam is particularly interesting because of the corrosion and thermal aspect. A future ‘hydrogen from electrolysis’ IC model engine might benefit from some of the methodology used in live steam (for example). The method to consume ME content is likely to change, I personally don’t see any issue with this, in fact change is good and exciting. Hope I don’t get left behind!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

What Luker says about the methods being the same across whatever your chosen subject matter is is true, I certainly used to read the odd Loco build if I liked the way of writing of a particular contributor, I think it was kopple that I springs to mind as one I read when starting out in the hobby.

Unfortunately once any of us have gained some experience then the majority of what is in one build article is much the same as the next so unless you have a particular interest in the subject matter are likely to skip over it and possibly miss any small new method, etc.

I must admit that I started reading Luker’s recent article and did not get to the end as it seemed to be very much club orientated and not cover those who are not into clubs particularly the majority that seem very Loco specific. Did have a quick look at the second part.

Even when I’m writing my build threads that get posted on the various forums these days I’m more inclined to skip over the “simple” parts and spend my time describing the more complex fabrications or machining set ups than typing the same description of turning or milling basic parts. If somebody wants more detail and asks then I’m happy to go into detail of something I left out or refer them back to another engine where it was shown.

As for mags going over to digital there are some advantages such as being able to include live clickable links but they still need contributors which in the case of ME and MEW will likely be non commissioned.

 

[Hopper]

On Hopper Said:

Even the magazines themselves are moving to new digital channels. My local library has ME, MEW, EIM and all of Mortons’ and Bauers’ motorcycle magazines free to read online through a service called Overdrive eMagazines. Library members can read their choice of hundreds, maybe thousands, of magazines online from home or wherever.

I used this service as well, until Devon Libraries decided to move away from Overdrive/Libby.

New service (BorrowBox) does not offer any model engineering related magazines.

How do I join your library?

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

 

Even when I’m writing my build threads that get posted on the various forums these days I’m more inclined to skip over the “simple” parts and spend my time describing the more complex fabrications or machining set ups than typing the same description of turning or milling basic parts.

 

Hi, L.B.S.C. very often used to tell people to look back on previous builds for some of the the parts that were the same or very similar, which saved repeating what he had already written, maybe more than once, bit of a drawback though if you didn’t have the previous issues, but his books, Shops Shed and Road / The Live Steam Book, covered most the items that were common in various builds. He did though enter into correspondence with readers who had problems.

Makes it a bit more difficult for some these days, if new comers wish to build some of his builds, as many of the old issues are becoming harder to find, and can be quite pricy.

Regards Nick.

 

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Hard copy magazines cost. To produce; pay authors, production staff, materials, and distribution.

E magazines may cost less to produce and be “greener”, but authors will still expect to be paid. It takes time to prepare and illustrate an article. (Before anyone comments, the fees for mine are paid direct to charities.)

Ther younger generation tend to read hard copy less, and expect more “on screen”.

The oldsters are probably the mainstay of hard copy, but become less numerous as age takes it toll, (As it does with club membership)

So, maybe, the way forward will be digital magazines, for a fee. Readers get what they want, publishers make a profit (The prime reason for them), and authors get paid.

Since the newsagents will not be taking their mark up, the cover price should decrease or at least remain stable for longer.

Prsonally, I like hard copy, but I’m old and set in my ways.

Howard

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

It is so easy for someone to say “So write an article then” but for some of us, especially me, I am at the very beginning of the model engineering journey and don’t yet have the knowledge to be able to write anything of interest. OK, I did do a very brief one for MEW on the little jack not too long back. However, I have written for some of the woodworking and woodturning magazines a while back.

So having a magazine that I can read that has some of the basics in would suit me but having said that the majority is written for the more knowledgable.

As you can tell, I do not have an engineering background, but I do come from a mechanical background repairing plant machinery.

So those that make statements like “WRITE SOMETHING YOU LAZY SLOB” want to think before writing that not every one can do that

[Philip RoweParticipant @philiprowe13116]

Not exactly ME related, but today I received a letter with my morning paper from my newsagent that due to falling demand and increasing costs he is ceasing newspaper deliveries. Maybe there is a connection here that people prefer to read everything on screen nowadays?

Phil

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Phillip, I can’t remember when I last bought a national paper of any short, but it must be getting on for 30 years or so, and in that time, I’ve only bought a local one now and again, if there was something that I thought there was something in it I wished to read about.

Regards Nick.

[Dalboy]

On Dalboy Said:

It is so easy for someone to say “So write an article then” but for some of us, especially me, I am at the very beginning of the model engineering journey and don’t yet have the knowledge to be able to write anything of interest. OK, I did do a very brief one for MEW on the little jack not too long back.

 

Actually simple projects such as your Jack because they are written by a self styled beginner can be very encouraging for others just starting out. We have a trophy at SMEE called the “Dead Easy” trophy which is actually awarded for some very good work but is named in honour of a past member. He was a great encourager of beginners and would patiently explain how to get round the problem they were stuck on in very simple terms always finishing up with “see, dead easy” He probably did more to make beginners into mature confident model engineers than anybody trying to show how clever they were.
regards Martin

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Well in the right hand column of the home page Morton’s books are advertising for non fiction authors if anyone is feeling really ambitious.

I could never come up with enough words for more than a limited posting on here anyway.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, the final edition of EIM magazine, landed on my doormat this morning. Well the saving of the subscription, should help pay for any future tooling and/or materials at least.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas Farr]

On Nicholas Farr Said:

Hi, the final edition of EIM magazine, landed on my doormat this morning. Well the saving of the subscription, should help pay for any future tooling and/or materials at least.

Regards Nick.

The thing is, if you write articles for these magazines, they pay you and it can actually pay for your workshop habit. My best effort so far was buying a junk Myford from a garage sale for the equivalent of 200 Quid. I think I had about six articles published in MEW on various aspects of its restoration, scraping, alignment, bearings etc etc, making a bench for it and “levelling” it. Each article filled six or seven pages plus a few front page pictures, so paid about 300 Quid per article on average. Paid for the lathe about nine times over. The surplus was used for further “investments” in some very nice tooling and materials.

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

That’s the way I look at it. pays for my Alibre Subscription to draw the models, Photobucket subs so I can host all the photos of my build, materials used, replacement of tools such as inserts and small drills plus new tooling when it is needed. And a bit of pocket money at the end to spend on sweets😉

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

As model engineers, we probably don’t want to read articles on the metallurgy of heat treatment, any more that a road engine enthusiast will be overly interested in the build of a battery electric loco, or of a sophisticated measuring iunstrument.

Which is possibly some of the reason for EIM’s demise.

Also, current economic conditions will encourage folk to economise, so possibly all hobby magazines may see a decrease in sales. Now, we are more likely to buy prosecco than champagne!

What will keep ME and MEW going will be articles written by “amateur” authors, who will be cheaper than “professionals” (Who make their living from writing, rather than as an accoiunt of their hobby activities)

After all, who is more likely to have information on interesting projects, or problem solutions than those actually involved?

I have been interested to read articles by fellow MEW readers / subscribers, and learned from them.

So the way that you went about making your latest triple expansion steam engine, without owning a rotary table, and using Metric rather than BA threads, might well attract the attention of someone contemplating that or something similar.

(Currently, there is a Forum thread on Metric fasteners on a model, replacing BA.  Since BA is now costly, and hard to find)

If the magazines provide articles of interest to their readers, the circulation will increase (And with it the revenue from traders who wish to be visible that customer base, and advertise)

Sadly, the reverse of this is what has happened to Shows . The Spalding Show improved every year, until the load of organising it became so great that without more volunteers, it was too much for just two people.  So it closed.

Like magazines, Shows are intended to show a profit. If they don’t, they will fold.

Articles that interest entertain and educate readers will maintain the publication.

In our world, who better to write the articles than those actually demonstrating what they describe, first hand?

So write and submit articles.

If the editor thinks it suitable, it will be published, and you will get paid.

Wherther you spend the money, or donate to a charity, is your choice.

Howard  (Who would have thought that i could type too fast for an electronic keyboard?)

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I was under the illusion that the Spalding Show was discontinued because the venue owners raised their prices to an unacceptable level, a great shame as I enjoyed the show as an exhibitor.

[Howard]

On Howard 

(Currently, there is a Forum thread on Metric fasteners on a model, replacing BA.  Since BA is now costly, and hard to find)

 

That’s interesting, if it’s the thread I read it seems he’s making metric fasteners as he can’t get hold of them!

Puzzled of Cambridgeshire 🙄

[Simon CollierParticipant @simoncollier74340]

In the last EIM, the following completely false statement was made:

Australia has now banned all coal-fired locomotives including models so ti will be interesting to see……

where on earth did they get this from?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It was the April issue?

[Author]

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