Height of Land Publications, the publisher of Backcountry Magazine, bought Alpinist magazine for $71,000 via phone auction.
Alpinist comprised the magazine, Web site (with about 50,000 unique visitors per month) and the Alpinist Film Festival. Despite a passionate fan following, a popular website, and a widely attended and I thought successful film festival, Alpinist remained unprofitable, even after investor Marc Ewing pumped at least $2 million into the magazine.
A former employee took over organizing the remaining tangible assets.
With 50,000 visitors on its web site, I wonder why circulation remained so low? Is it because few wanted to pay the high price of a superb magazine printed on archival quality paper? I know of many readers who borrowed it from a friend or read it at the library. Or is the market so small for alpinism?
Some people have said, “Print media is all but dead.” If that’s the case, how long will Climbing or Rock and Ice remain viable? Or do Urban Climber and bouldering augur the future of climbing?
Reasons? I suspect it’s a combo. Print media are troubled. People can’t afford or choose not to afford expensive magazines when they can, indeed, borrow from a friend, read in the library or (for newsstand publications) stand around in a retail store and read without buying. The byproduct for writers is that fewer publications are buying/commissioning fewer articles from writers — and much on-line media thinks all content should be provided free. Bottom line is that the recession hit writers long before it impacted the general economy. Whatever the reason, I’m sure it’s a reflection of changes in media/communication and not of interest in climbing.
Comment by Claire Walter — January 10, 2009 @ 8:26 am
[…] Alpinist magazine has been purchased for $71,000 after a recent auctioning of the assets. The lucky new owners happen to be Height of Land Publications, a company that owns and operates Backcountry magazine, another niche favorite of my own. Most of us felt that this publication would find a second life in short time, and luckily it came faster than what I expected. When I originally heard that no offers had been put in for the original $40,000 price tag, it made me whimper a little bit and open up my checkbook. Unfortunately, it was out of my reach. […]
Pingback by Alpinist Magazine Finds A Buyer : The Adventurist — January 11, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
Yeah, I received my March 2009 issue of Rock and Ice today, dangerously thin… That i noticed right away, even before reading this post. Also, the Aspen Times Newspaper suspended publication of its local Carbondale daily newspaper as of the New Year. Up in the Pac NW where I live, one of the daily Seattle papers just announced its for sale ASAP. The NYT is trying to sell off non essential assets, and lever their Manhattan HQ property to raise cash plus, for the first time ever, NYT put an ad on page one for revenue..
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/the-new-york-times-sells-its-first-front-page-ad
Not looking good for print anywhere
Comment by Dave Gratke — January 12, 2009 @ 8:16 pm