posted 09-15-2008 03:17 PM            

Silver Magazine 40th Anniversary Event is up and coming. It is hard to believe we have had 40 years of Silver Magazine.

Silver Magazine’s origins began with "Spoonarama and Silver Vistas" magazine. I have few photocopies of Spoonarama and would love to see an original. In 1969, Spoonarama became "Silver-Rama including spoon-collectors news". Both were published and edited by Mrs. Beulah D. Hodgson in Vancouver, Washington and printed by Bob Sommer Printing also in Vancouver.

In 1971, Mrs. Hodgson once again renamed the publication to "The Magazine Silver".

In 1983, a dealer/advertiser in The Magazine Silver, Diana L. Cramer, called to inquire about when her next ad would be coming out. That was when she heard the publication was about to cease. Within a few weeks, without any professional writing or publishing experience, Diana L. Cramer purchased The Magazine Silver. With her first issue (January 1984) she renamed it to "Silver". In her first editorial, she says ".... It is my intention to bring you a quality publication that covers all aspects of silver research and collecting."

For the next 9 years, Diana brought us a great magazine which inspired many new collectors in their quests for knowledge and silver. In February 1993, unexpectedly, Diana passed away. Without notice Silver stopped arriving. The January/February 1993 issue was published but there was no mention of Diana's passing. Nothing else was published until November/December 1993.

November/December 1993 was the first issue of "Silver Magazine". That issue starts with "In Memory of Diana Cramer". The new Editor was Connie McNally and the publisher became Silver Magazine, Inc., Connie steadily improved the publication's design & quality and upscaled its readership.

In July/August 2003 Connie announced the magazine had been sold and she would continue as editor for the next year. With the September/October 2005 issue, there was a new publisher, Ann Blum Hach. And the address for the magazine changed from Rancho Santa Fe, CA to Shaker Heights, Ohio. The company publishing was Art Media Group, LLC, Cleveland Ohio.

In January/February 2006 it was announced that Page/Frederiksen Publishing (a division of Replacements, Ltd.) was the new owner. In the January/February 2006 issue, Bob Page, President, Page/Frederiksen Publishing introduced us to himself and the new editor, Dean Six. Connie McNally become Editor Emeritus.

Upon hearing that Replacements purchased Silver Magazine many people became worried that their beloved Silver Magazine would morf into an advertising instrument for Replacements. I was not so worried because over the years I had gotten to know Bob Page, Jason Price, Carla Zarse and others at Replacements and saw that for them business does come first but that also the company had a deep respect and felt some responsibility to the history of the decorative arts that was behind the success of Replacements. Replacements Mission Statement (thanks Jason) :

quote:

---

Purpose

We create, honor and preserve traditions by connecting our customers with their most cherished memories.

Mission

Replacements, Ltd. is committed to:

* Maintaining our position as a world leader in tableware
* Achieving long-term business results that enable us to thrive
* Providing an open, honest, and rewarding workplace
* Building meaningful relationships and delivering exceptional service
* Improving our community by actively giving
* Creating, preserving, and sharing our knowledge

---

Since January/February 2006, Replacements has maintained a sort of "arm length" relationship and Silver Magazine has not become the advertising instrument for Replacements. The Silver Magazine/Replacements relationship is still finding its way but so far has been a positive influence on both.

It was announced that I would be at the Silver Magazine 40th Anniversary Event but I have an unexpected conflict which will keep me away. The panel discussion I was going to be a part of was “Silver Magazine, the next 40 years?”. The panel was going to suggest what we would like to see from the magazine during the next 40 years. I expect there is going to be a lot of audience participation.

On September 26, if you are in the vicinity of Greensboro, NC be sure to attend.

For the rest of us, lets continue this thread with the question:

• What should Silver Magazine do with its next 40 years?

posted 09-16-2008 10:16 AM            

Simply put the business model of a magazine is to have readers/subscribers and advertisers. Long term business goals must be to have more readers/subscribers and to charge more for advertising which is based on number of readers/subscribers.

Advertisers won’t happen without readers/subscribers. So the business model hinges on having, getting and keeping readers/subscribers.

I don’t know Silver Magazine’s number of readers/subscribers or circulation. Unlike Time, Newsweek, I don’t suspect there are newsstand sales.

Maybe our Silver Magazine members will share with us the current circulation numbers and any reader/subscriber profile info (demographics). This would help us to think about and to begin to make recommendations about how to expand Silver Magazine’s readers/subscribers base.

posted 09-18-2008 12:03 PM            

I found your comment "The Silver Magazine/Replacements relationship is still finding its way but so far has been a positive influence on both" interesting.
I am not sure we feel we are finding our way but long ago clearly knew it!

The major positive influence of being allied with Replacements for SM is that the weight and support insures SM will continue in a time when traditional small titles often fail and that we have a believer in our mission to share silver knowledge and curiosity. An uncommon and great foundation.

When turning to the second post about a business model I do not think this is really the type or direction of input we seek. The business model is determined.

Questions that are before us include:

1. The viability of print media in an ever increasingly electronic information culture.
   
2. The topics and accessability of writing provided versus what readers might seek/ desire.
   
3. What new directions might be of interest to readers.
   
4. Why do readers continue to subscribe or choose to no longer subscribe to SM? Is there a proactive response to those answers?
   
5. Can we identify new writers, new voices, new fields within silver that we can learn about?

The readership averages over 65 years of age and slightly more female than male.
About 5% of the readership is international/ Not United States. The largest number of those by a majority are Canadian. Then we mail to Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Denmark and beyond.

The single largest per centage of readers have been subscribers between 6-10 years of our 40 years of publication.

The readers are predominately self described as collectors (two to one to any other category), interested in decorative arts generally, and dealers (slightly less than 1/3 of the number of those calling themselves collectors).

Readers self described their collecting interests as (in order of priority):

• coin silver
  
• Victorian sivlerplate
  
• spoons
  
• flatware
  
• sugar tongs
  
• sterling
  
• mustard jars (!!!?)

I see the big questions looking forward as the role of electronic/internet publishing versus traditional printed paper copies and trying to identify new areas of potential interest, new readers and new advertises.

I am confident that at some point printing will fade as electronic media becomes ever more prevalent. How much and when are not yet certain.

Both personally and as SM corporately I think you for your interest and support in what happens at SM.

I did take a quick look at our subscriber list and the names of the few moderators and active correspondents here on SMPub. We had granted free subscriptions to some a while back in exchange for help. Once those free subscriptions expired 2 of 3 did not renew. I found that of the seven names I could identify from the web site only two are subscribers. A great dialogue and learning tool for us might be to start internally with your folks-Why are they not subscribers or How could SM earn their support?

Best regards,
Dean

posted 09-18-2008 12:31 PM            

Thanks for the abundance of info... It will take me a little while to digest it all. Preliminary you touched on a non-silver hot button for me... "role of electronic/internet publishing versus traditional printed paper" I will start a new thread (click here (Electronic media..... The historical paradox )) for anyone who will wants to add to my forth coming comments.

Meanwhile, while I hope members will start adding their comments (pro & con) about your generous input.

posted 09-21-2008 05:49 PM            

I'd like to give the subject more thought but wanted to say one thing upfront. I know (and applaud where applicable) that print media is giving way to electronic media. But I will dearly miss the hard copy of Silver Magazine if/when it goes. Silver (the metal) is a very tactile medium and there is nothing quite as rewarding as curling up on the coach with a copy of the magazine in hand to appreciate. Fondling a laptop just doesn't do it for me.