Would You Subscribe to Peak Oil Magazine?

[Aaron]

If it proved interesting and useful beyond what the website already does today?

We were just wondering if it was worth pursuing as another way to expand the discussion.

Thanks for the input!

Vote!

[SpringCreekFarm]

I think I would. What better way to get people to check it out but to offer a publication that people can read while on the can, in bed, having a coffee, waiting for an appointment......

Go for it. Run a pilot.

[dinopello]

I think it could be an interesting thing. Especially if it was a broad coverage of events and topics (from a PO perspective). Also good for leaving around the house for conversation starters.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

Not if the amount of racism we have been seeing on here for the past year is reflected in it. No. I would prefer not to expose myself to that kind of ignorance.

[emersonbiggins]

only if it has a section dedicated to doomer porn

[steam_cannon]

There certainly is enough material. Peakoil.com is loaded with up to date articles, fleshed out debates, unique topics... Plenty of news to justify several years of printings. The material here is more useful and relevant then Mother Earth News. Plus as we shift back into a 1970's like time of high priced oil, interest is only likely to grow.

I can imagine it...

Index
1. Introduction
2-6 hot topics
Overshoot Column by Montiquest
Planning for the future by Pops and guest writers
Permaculture gardening tips by Ludi

If it proved interesting and useful beyond what the website already does today?

I don't think it would even have to surpass the site in content, just in focus.

The site is an opportunity for people to get out every idea and get feedback. And the idea has come up before "why don't we write a wiki entries summing up every topic..." Well, because writing summaries on every topic is just too much work and won't do many topics justice. But writing articles on specific well discussed topics would be great. Moderators, editors or posters could very easily put together proposals for what content would go into a months printing. We could even have an articles forum where magazine articles are submitted, reviewed, and even edited.

Council of Elrond - "You have my sword..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XveiqqwJsdo

[steam_cannon]

only if it has a section dedicated to doomer porn

And why not! Many magazines have sections for posting stories written by subscribers...

[Pixie]

I would not subscribe to a magazine when I can get the same content online without paying a subscription fee and without cutting down any trees.

What I would subscribe to would be a publication, either paper or web, that continually tracked world inventories, not just of oil and petroproducts, but also of wheat, corn, soybeans, and other natural resources that are produced using oil. Something like Worldwatch's Vital Signs, but aimed specifically at peak oil issues, and monthly. Beyond the EIA website, I don't know where to find that info.

[emersonbiggins]

A PDF magazine/newsletter would be nice, to address the environmental concerns. I used to have misgivings about reading multi-page PDFs over printed material, but have gotten over it.

[Heineken]

I originally voted "no," but I've been having second thoughts.

What I'd actually like to do is WORK for Peak Oil Magazine!

You'll need a good copy editor. Too many start-ups attempt to get by without one . . . and the product suffers accordingly in many ways I could list.

You'll need to develop a "style," a process I'm very familiar with. A style for a zillion details.

I'm doing some part-time freelance editing for a pharmacy journal now, and the money's good, but my heart isn't in it.

So, consider moi. 27 years formally in the biz, including 7 with Science mag.

Only proviso is I prefer to work with a pencil, not online. Somebody else has to enter the changes.

I assume this would be a monthly? Or biannual to start?

PM me if this goes forward and you're interested in my services.

[TheDude]

I'm with emersonbiggins - pdf would be fine. Much as I like the idea of reading Peak Oil magazine in a doctor's office. Actually I always have a book with me and once killed time waiting for a chiropractor by reading the Long Emergency.

[Bas]

I definately would, there have been alot of books and also documentary movies coming out over the last couple of years but they become obsolete almost as soon as they come out. A monthly (or so) magazine would therefor be a perfect addition to the other media already out there. I'd love to help out too. Ofcourse we already have "Energy Bulletin", and I think if this idea was really to fly they would need be involved.

Anyway, love the idea

[MattSavinar]

Hate to burst any bubbles but the chance that more than 25-to-50 people would actually pay for such a magazine is slim at best.

5 or 10 of the people who would actually pay will probably chime in here to say "that's not true, there's a huge market for this!!!"

But hey it's your dime not mine so what I think is irrelevant.

[dinopello]

Hate to burst any bubbles.

Savinar, the uber-doomer - all is lost - there is no hope -world is going to end in chaos and despair - "hates to burst any bubbles"

The circulation might be low. But with a quarterly distribution maybe not. Kind of a summary of the quarter's news plus some other stuff. PDF doesn't work for me. I read PDF magazines but its hard to get others to. If it's sitting next to the toilet, people will read it.

[Pixie]

Hate to burst any bubbles.

Savinar, the uber-doomer - all is lost - there is no hope -world is going to end in chaos and despair - "hates to burst any bubbles"

The circulation might be low. But with a quarterly distribution maybe not. Kind of a summary of the quarter's news plus some other stuff. PDF doesn't work for me. I read PDF magazines but its hard to get others to. If it's sitting next to the toilet, people will read it.

Really, anything you could do with a magazine, you could do on this site for free. I agree with Matt. Even if peak oil were mainstream (which I believe it will be within 5 years), you don't need magazines anymore when you've got the internet.

[MattSavinar]

Hate to burst any bubbles.

Savinar, the uber-doomer - all is lost - there is no hope -world is going to end in chaos and despair - "hates to burst any bubbles"

The circulation might be low. But with a quarterly distribution maybe not. Kind of a summary of the quarter's news plus some other stuff. PDF doesn't work for me. I read PDF magazines but its hard to get others to. If it's sitting next to the toilet, people will read it.

If it was free or cost less than $5 for a quarterly issue, you might get 200 people per issue if you're incredibly lucky.

Problem is there is so much awesome PO content on the net that is free you're going to have a hard time getting people to pay for anything.

I've sold individual pdfs before. In my estimation, even if I pumped out an awesome issue loaded with truly unique and compelling content each and every month, I think I might get 100 subscribers at $30 or so a year.

@ Aaron,

I think you may be looking at PO.com site's traffic, which I'm guessing has greatly increased lately, and thinking maybe there is a market for this stuff. I've sensed most of the big PO site owners seem to think that increased traffic to their sites equates a bigger market (for lack of a better word) for this stuff or that the public is waking up. I beg to differ. The general public is as ignorant as ever.

As far as the people who are checking the sites, the folks who do check the 5 or so big PO sites are so accustomed to free content that a paid content model is unlikely to work very well.

Maybe if everybody chipped in to produce 1 magazine you might be able to pull something off. But each site owner (myself included) has their own agenda and getting everybody to cooperate would make herding cats look easy by comparison.

[Aaron]

I think you may be looking at PO.com site's traffic, which I'm guessing has greatly increased lately, and thinking maybe there is a market for this stuff.

Ummm not really.

I'm just speculating and wondering if it would be worth the effort.

If it would prove useful to enough folks to attempt.

Sorry you had trouble with your PDF sales.

[Heineken]

Hate to burst any bubbles.

Savinar, the uber-doomer - all is lost - there is no hope -world is going to end in chaos and despair - "hates to burst any bubbles"

The circulation might be low. But with a quarterly distribution maybe not. Kind of a summary of the quarter's news plus some other stuff. PDF doesn't work for me. I read PDF magazines but its hard to get others to. If it's sitting next to the toilet, people will read it.

I agree. Paper. And quarterly (to start, at least).

A paper magazine would have the potential reach a population not currently reached by the website (or, horrors, by a PDF version). More of a mainstream group. Older, maybe.

[MattSavinar]

I think you may be looking at PO.com site's traffic, which I'm guessing has greatly increased lately, and thinking maybe there is a market for this stuff.

Ummm not really.

I'm just speculating and wondering if it would be worth the effort.

If it would prove useful to enough folks to attempt.

Sorry you had trouble with your PDF sales.

My sales were actually quite good. Issue #3, I would describe as "excellent' and it continues to sell well.

But given the costs associated with a print magazine, it is likely completely unviable until "awareness" among the general public goes up by several orders of magnitude.

Now if you've got a stash of cash and are willing to front all the costs and almost certainly lose your money for the sake of "spreading the word" then hey go for it.

[Ferretlover]

Yes, I would. It would be nice to have charts and news items, shown in sequence; guest debaters' articles...
Would you use recycled paper? HHmmm?