 Poster: A snowHead
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I expect I'm not the only person to be offered this option this afternoon: for £1.99 you can download the latest edition (March) of 'DM S&S'. It's on the emailed metrosnow.co.uk newsletter, via this link:
http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/index.php?id=266
Anyone going to snap this up?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I won't snap it down.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Why would they do that? They must know that the take up will be diddly. The effort of getting a card out of the wallet and tapping in numbers just ain't worth it. All other mags seem to do a free online version and that's what DMSS should do to keep their advertisers happy and engender some goodwill among the skiing public. This makes them look a bit mean and out of touch frankly.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| Why would they do that? They must know that the take up will be diddly. The effort of getting a card out of the wallet and tapping in numbers just ain't worth it. All other mags seem to do a free online version and that's what DMSS should do to keep their advertisers happy and engender some goodwill among the skiing public. This makes them look a bit mean and out of touch frankly. |
The only mag I am aware of which does the same thing free online is Snow magaizine which started as online only, and then has been published in a paper edition too this year (and I think late last year).
Most of them have some free online content, but not the whole magazine.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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There may be some room for negotiation, Swiller. Make them a counter-offer.
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alex_heney, Snow was always hard copy before the digital version was produced. The digital version produced from the very same print ready PDFs. I've seen others digitised but can't say for sure which ones.
David Goldsmith, I offer them my condolences.
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It's an interesting thought an obviously show DMS&S is trying to capture money it thinks it wouldn't get otherwise from newstand sales.
At the end of the day, the magazine is PDFed for printing and they'll have a website capable of hosting the data, so in effect, they're not losing enything. Even if only 500 people take it up, which I think isn't unrealistic, that's still nigh-on and extra £1,000 they've made for effectively doing nothing.
I know myself, Admin and a few others mulled over the idea of running an on-line Snowheads magazine (it petered out because of lack of time) but the idea had some definite validity, if not a clear purpose of why we wanted to do it and how we could achivee wholesale acceptance.
I work in the magazine industry and online content and availability of information available through the Internet (on forums and such like) has definitely had an impact on how magazines A) perform, and B) pitch themselves in an ever more competetive market. However, as is often the case, it coems back to the point that most people are still in the phase of their lives where an object in your hand is still surperior to something on a PC screen.
The advertisers will be getting a dramatically reduced rate for inclusion in the web version (if the adverts are the same as in the printed version), if not getting it for free. The website itself will be paid for by the banner advertising from Mark Warner etc.
The only other good magazines I've seen online are the Talksport one and International Snowboarder (www.isboardmag.com) - both work well but you can't flick pages anywhere as effeciently as you can with a 'real' magazine. Printed mags are far from being nailed into their coffins – they just have to adapt to the times better and embrace the Internet, which is what DMS&S seems to be trying to do, albeit at a price.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 19-02-09 17:40; edited 1 time in total
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
alex_heney, Snow was always hard copy before the digital version was produced. The digital version produced from the very same print ready PDFs. I've seen others digitised but can't say for sure which ones.
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OK, I'll take your word for it, but the hard copy wasn't on sale in most WH Smith's or similar, so I never saw it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It's still £5 too expensive.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| hyweljenkins wrote: |
| It's still £5 too expensive. |
When it's £1.99?
If you're asking for £3 to read Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard then it'll have to be a charity sponsorship, I'm afraid.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Specialman wrote: |
| However, as is often the case, it coems back to the point that most people are still in the phase of their lives where an object in your hand is still surperior to something on a PC screen. |
Bit difficult to take a laptop in the bath with you for a leisurely read and soak.
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The real problem for Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard is the title. It's about as snappy as a slice of Mother's Pride.
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You know it makes sense.
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David Goldsmith, good point. It's £8 too expensive when you take in to account the minimum wage.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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David Goldsmith, the real problem with the magazine is the lack of decent content.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| The real problem for Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard is the title. It's about as snappy as a slice of Mother's Pride. |
Which I presume is why they are in the process of rebranding it as Metrosnow 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| Which I presume is why they are in the process of rebranding it as Metrosnow |
You sure? I don't think so. Kiss of death a change like that. Mind you, almost anything better than cumbersome DMS&S. Snowboarders laugh at attempts to woo them when they have enough dedicated mags of their own. There used to be a mag called SKI (circa mid 70s to mid 80s)... what could be better than that. I think someone somewhere claims the rights to the name in the UK but time that was tested perhaps.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
| Which I presume is why they are in the process of rebranding it as Metrosnow |
You sure? I don't think so. Kiss of death a change like that. |
I thought that was why they had changed the name of associated bits (like the ski show) first, so that the name when (If?) they change the magazine will already be known.
No, I'm not absolutely sure they are changing the name of the mag, but I'm sure I saw it somewhere.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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alex_heney, I think you saw it suggested on this forum. Chinese whispers.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I have to plead guilty to that one. It was an out-of-season April Fool (apologies), based on the idea of a Parisian transport system that would use underground tunnels of snow.
There are no plans, as I understand it, to re-title Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard magazine into something snappier, such as 'Snow+Croc'.
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Hi All,
As an employee of the aforementioned Mother's Pride Magazine l felt compelled to shed some light on your discussions regarding the online version of the mag. The main reason as to why we have put it online is for our overseas readers. Overseas readership is just over 2,000 per month and depending on your location in the world it can cost up to £10.00 to buy a single copy. I completely agree with the comments on having a physical mag in your hand and we have no intention of making the mag free or digital only. This said we do have a demand from abroad and currently the cost outweighs the benefit of having the print version. The online version gives us the chance to give more people the opportunity to have the magazine. At this stage it is purely a trial to see what people think of an alternative way to receive it.
As far as the naming of the mag goes, I appreciate that having the show and the website under one brand and magazine under another causes some confusion and debate. We are well aware that the Daily Mail brand can stir certain emotions and indeed does make snowboarders run in the other direction. In reality we are not trying to be a Whitelines or similar and have never professed to be in that part of the market, knowing that our 20 year history has been historically built on skiing. The DMS&S brand is well recognised and has been a market leader for the last decade. If readership was declining we would certainly be looking at a different direction as we did with the show. Without wanting to come across as a smug lady's front bottom, our Jan issue just had the biggest newsstand sales for a UK snowsports mag for the last 11 years. Given the current shambles that our economy is in we must be doing something right.
I welcome any thoughts you all have; judging by the posts on here you are pretty passionate about industry we all love.
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dangermouse, thank you for tuning in. I note that another arm of the Associated Newspapers empire - London's Evening Standard newspaper - has just been sold to a Russian oligarch. Maybe he's a keen skier, in which case he could pay you a great more than £1.99, and really stir things up.
As for Swiller, you seem to have addressed his cynicism very effectively. Well done.
What were your January newsstand sales, then?
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| dangermouse wrote: |
Hi All,
. Without wanting to come across as a smug lady's front bottom, our Jan issue just had the biggest newsstand sales for a UK snowsports mag for the last 11 years. |
Did someone from DMGT just attempt to use the C word?  I'm outraged - front page of the Mail on Sunday.
Personally I think paying for an online mag (especially at the generalist /non specialist level of DMSS) is redonkulous when there is so much free content out there. Still if you email me details of these 2000 people I've got a Nigerian prince who needs a bit of assistance.
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FAQ
