I'm intrigued by your question about the possible correlation in the trends of design pubs and newspapers. I think you’re onto something real; both have a short-sighted focus on advertisers and advertising, and seem to forget that what they actually sell isn’t ads per se, but their subscriber base to advertisers.

Most American design magazines (including, and maybe ESPECIALLY, those to the trade) have fallen into both the fawning-over-celebrity and kissing-up-to-advertisers pits. There's also an unfortunate tendency to elevate NEW NEW NEW even if newness is the object's only worthy attribute. The result is definitely dumbed-down design, and as a result fails to call attention to what truly IS noteworthy. This approach compromises the long-term position and profitability of these publications; it’s short-sighted, because at some point subscribers aren’t going to want (or be willing to pay for) middlebrow design pretending to be something it’s not.

Kudos to you, Mike, for pointing out here that the emperor is nude. And not much to look at.

Hi Mike,

First let me say thanks for reading my blog. Secondly, I feel like I need to add some very important opinions that I think Joni and I share. We are huge fans of all of the shelter magazines and we have spent years deriving much inspiration, education, and vital industry and product knowledge from them that we could not have gotten anywhere else and I believe we owe the industry a debt of gratitude for all of their hard work. That being said, I believe it is that very love of shelter mags, the anticipation at seeing what lies behind that glossy cover, is the very fuel for our recent disappointment. I still get a childish rush of excitement when my magazines arrive in the mail. I can't wait to see what's inside and with the demise of so many good publications the remaining ones are that much more important to me. This is why we are so stymied at some of the recent lackluster features. I think we readers need to encourage the remaining publications and let them know what we want to see. They gauge success by how many copies a particular cover has sold. If we want them to produce a better product than we need to subscribe so they can afford to do so. I subscribe to all that are still on the market and I hope they will step it up so readers do not feel alienated and stop buying. I think this is the self fulfilling destiny that you talked about and I do think some are out of touch with their readership. However, to show another side of the argument, Domino was spot on topic for their fiercely loyal readers, had fabulous ad revenue, concrete subscribers, and still could not thrive in a huge corporate culture. Architectural Digest has consistently been the best selling shelter mag and it has often been the subject of discussion about it's frequent disconnect with masses. Maybe the current predicament is just another tough sign of the times.

Jackie Von Tobel

Mike you have often written about the increase in internet purchasing. I think it's no surprise to see more people also using newspapers and mags online. I have not subscribed to a paper in many years. And I have reduced my subscriptions to mags along the way and currently get Elle Decor, Veranda, Dwell, S Accents. I passed on AD long ago along with MH.
Just as celebrity keeps the 24 hr news cycle funded (MJ for example) well known names are used as hooks too. Are they designers? Sometimes but mostly a name.
Excellent designers may not be living with a pop star, golfer, real estate titan, etc. Many of these venerable mags have taken on a People mag image to hook the masses. It's the sound bite culture with short attention span.
I think print in general is trying to read the tea leaves. A few weeks ago I was approached to place an ad and could choose print or digital. (LUXE) but the price was not very different. I thank Jackie for speaking about this topic and starting a discussion. You too.
Faith

Mike,
Thank you for sharing this information. This was my first visit to Jackie's blog & I sure be visiting there again.

I love receiving my shelter magazines to see what is new & available for my clients. Sometimes I am happy with the articles, other times I find myself asking "Why was that printed!"

I wonder if the problem lies with the type of design projects that are submitted for publication. Perhaps more of us that do great design, need to be be more proactive in submitting our work for publication.
Jennifer

As a professional designer for more than a dozen years, I've seen mediocre design increase proportionately to the increasing home sizes. It begins at the construction stage with space that has no real purpose or use, continues with finishes that are beyond excessive, and explodes with the need to fill the gigantic spaces with anything whether it is a well thought out plan or quality goods.

I am hopeful that our current economic conditions will help us return to spaces that are created to be lived in and utilized rather than just shown off. If we are truly committed to saving our planet, as consumers we will endeavor to buy the best quality merchandise we can afford, keep it a long time, repurpose it when it needs freshening, and pass it on when we no longer need it.

I'm not sure that I agree with Mike's political theory but I support the idea of using true professionals in the design field who meet the needs of real consumers. Celebrities spokespersons have earned fame for a specific reason and it usually isn't for design skills. A designer who becomes famous for good design is a different creature altogether. There are many examples like Barbara Barry, Larry Laslo, Candace Olson and many more.

I also agree with Jackie that we need to support shelter magazines by subscribing. This is one way we can give our stamp of approval for those publications that feature good design. These are valuable resources for both the trade and consumer alike and losing them would damage us all.

We are likely to see a significant change in the entire furnishings and design industry as a result of the economic changes. We have already lost many vendors, manufacturers, and designers. New voices will emerge and a new, hopefully more sensible, aesthetic will take hold. Good design will survive!

Karen C. Wirrig, thank you for your comments. Very thoughtful and interesting that it may be related to the size of our homes.

Being in the furniture business, I totally agree with quality and how good quality lasts and doesn't end up in the landfill after a few years. My kids are enjoying furniture in their homes that came from some old Montana hotels and is still useful today.

Thank you for this! Love getting publicity for my blog!!! But seriously, I do think Jackie said most of what I would say better than I could.

BUT = as for magazines/newspaper going out of business while TV is doing better - Bill O'Reilly seems to believe HE is personally driving everyone out of business becuase he is so fabulous. The truth is - the world is changing. We all used to sit down at 6:00 and watch the news because it was our only chance to get it. Then CNN changed that. Newspapers in the morning were vital to know what happened overnight. The internet changed that. We still all want our news - just in different mediums and the magazines/newspapers are suffering because they aren't immediate. Before - to know about Michael Jackson news - I would have to wait for People and Star Magazines. Now I just go to TMZ. My blog is getting more and more offers for ad dollars because the magazines are drying up and the companies see that blogs and the internet is changing the landscape. The BIG BIG BIG problem though - blogs need the photographs from the magazines. Until we get around that - we both have to live with each other. So - as you probably noticed - I posted a positive magazine article after the negative one. We need each other.

I agree with so many of the comments already made. However, I do think that it is important to embrace new approaches to design. I like seeing new ideas, but may not like all of them. It seems to me that some designers and magazine editors are pushing the boundaries of design, and I think that is what art is all about. I have a background in fine art and look at interior design from that perspective. You can break the rules, as long as you know them, and as long as you create that indefinable result called art. And art is sometimes subjective. Kelly Wearstler is a good example. She is trying lately I think to push her work in a different direction and has produced some interiors that I didn't feel were totally successful. But she will find her way around it I think, as she is very talented. It's interesting to me to see the process of growth and change.