From Matthew Newton:

/>Though new print publications are always bubbling up, it seems that no
publisher can keep up with the prolific output that the Internet provides. This
is particularly valid when discussing independent music, youth culture, and the
post-graffiti movement. Artists can now reach an unlimited audience with their
work-from Berlin to Tokyo, London to New York and everywhere ISP connection in
between. And just as the mid-90s gave way to the dot.com boom and its eventual
demise, there is a new information explosion at hand in today’s counterculture.


The first and most critical difference between the two mediums is
financial. Obviously, print publications depend primarily on ad revenue (while
disk space on a server is considerably cheaper). So it seems that a certain
amount of editorial control is handed over to clothing, tobacco, record, and
soft drink companies. However subtle this influence may seem, it is still a
level of control. But of course, there are exceptions. Certain magazines are
careful, only working with advertisers that represent their readership (i.e.
independent clothing companies, record labels, etc.). And why don’t national
publications run articles on talented yet relatively unknown artists or
musicians? There is nothing to sell. Without a product to sell, magazines are,
for the most part, not interested in what musicians, artists, and writers have
to say. This creates a dilemma, especially for folks who love reading magazines
(myself included). You have to ask yourself… “What am I buying into?”
/>
With the advent of online publication, the information game has
dramatically changed. Now readers don’t have to wait for the latest issue of
their favorite magazine to drop-they can just stay in touch via ezines, blogs,
and even email newsletters. Each format is updated frequently and often with in-
depth coverage. Many of these publications flex the freedom to include content
on whatever subject they desire (see: Evil Monito, The Blowup, Carter, Bozack
Nation, etc.) and the results are often quite compelling. Not to mention, the
Internet caters to a massive captive audience-the 9 to 5 workforce (desk
jockeys, pencil pushers, administrative cronies, etc.). For this reason alone,
purveyors of print publications should recognize the influence and scope of
their electronic competitors. 

Though people will always love to
flip through the pages of a new magazine or book, it seems presentation is truly
what sets print apart from Internet. The term “Limited Edition” has already
undergone a dramatic metamorphosis in recent years thanks to the sneaker and toy
craze-and forward-thinking independent publishers seem to be leaning in the same
general direction (variant covers, autographed, hand-numbered, etc.). And just
as the music industry has been slow to react to the spread of file sharing, the
publishing industry has allowed antiquated thinking to dominate its collective
thought process.

But hopefully, this reveals a trend-allowing
emerging artists, publishers, and musicians to reach larger audiences without
big budget backing. And of course, quality output always speaks for itself while
the mediocre falls by the wayside. Whatever unfolds in the future, I think I’ll
probably be keeping both my magazine subscriptions and Internet connection for a
bit longer.

From Mikah:
“web and paper don’t need to fight! they’re just 2 different medias, not
ennemies. personaly, i’m running a “webzine” ( href="http://www.papiermachine.com">http://www.papiermachine.com, first
issue this month). the advantage is i can build my own zine with zero $. a thing
i can’t do with a paper magazine because the fabrication is expensive and you
have to find a distributor and dealing with business shit. this is not my goal.
i just want to show artwork from artists from all over the world! my first goal
is to give opportunities to young artists to get connection with the
professional art scene. and my second goal (if i find a sponsor) is to provide a
“luxury” paper version of papier.machine once a year with the best artwork
featured during the year. because a book is a beautiful object and it’s like an
achievement for all the works done by contributors.”