New Linn's Format

Looks like Linn's has a new format and "expanded content." I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks interesting. Looks more like a magazine now and less like a newspaper.

I read my electronic copy yesterday. Great improvement in content, but I suspect it took awhile to put this issue together. Can issues of equal content appear consistently? I doubt it, but I would be pleased to be wrong about this opinion.

Could Linn's be heading toward a monthly frequency?

Don

Well, this was their monthly issue. I guess we'll find out on Saturday what they're new format weekly will look like.

In this day and age, I tend to wonder if the monthly is all we need, and the weekly can be done via an ad supported blog.

Until the Linn's Monthly issue for April I believe the format for the weekly will remain the same. (based on advanced electronic issues) We will need to wait on the issue published after the April Monthly edition to see. jmo

Is there really a need for a weekly philatelic magazine/newspaper anymore. Especially in light of the impact the internet has on news.

The email that went out just said the changes were to the monthly edition. I'm guessing the fonts and styles will also change on the weekly edition (though maybe not), but they didn't mention anything about changes to the content of the weekly.

I genuinely doubt it. These days online advertising provides very little extra revenue for anyone except those with HUGE traffic levels (say something like HuffingtonPost). As for Linns website, if lucky, they might get few hundred bucks a month (but likely somewhat less) from those Google network ads they are running now. Not hardly a substitute for revenue they can get from the print ads.

That said, I do agree with you that having just the monthly edition is likely where they are heading in few years time.

-k-

I agree with Glenn

I'm not sure if there was ever a "need," but personally I enjoy receiving a hard copy each week and relaxing to browse it for a half hour or so, away from the computer screen in front of which I spend way too much time.

Nice.Clean. Easy to read. The publication needed a good "facelift." I applaud them -- LINNS: JOB WELL DONE! Next, writers to create interesting topics with traffic grabbing graphics (covers, stamps, postal stationary) and coherent discussion.

Hal

My guess is that Linn's is preparing for the eventual transition to monthly format. That may be happening sooner than we think.

Monthly would be the way to go. The weekly stuff they publish can be easily gather from various online sources. We all know where to find new release information for our favorite countries to collect. The more in-depth stuff a monthly gives you (plus Scott listing updates) it probably a better choice for long term survival.

I know I am old school, but I also prefer the weekly magazine. I look forward to the latest copy.

It has plenty of good content that would be lost as a monthly only. I hate scrolling the Internet for "news." Searches often yield a lot of old, outdated material, or can offer several versions of the "current" story that have been updated several times, leaving the reader to wonder which is the most current.

As a venerable publication, I should (and do) trust the versions of stories in a publication, such as Linn's as opposed to other sources.

And again, I prefer to get the full-fledged enjoyment of a newspaper/magazine in my hand, which lets me also scan other stories, ads, photos and graphics as opposed to a web version.

I'd be OK with monthly for the feature articles as long as they kept up an online blog with more timely news, KTP reviews and classified ads.

I liked the issue, but for me what remains to be seen is the question of was it the new format or the fact that there were an unusual amount of articles of interest to me this go around? We shall see.

As far as a frequency change, it boils down to - are the weekly issues profitable? If yes, then I sort of doubt they are going to change frequency, but if they are losing money, they may seriously be considering losing some issues.