This post focuses on a series of magazines producing excellent content in print format published mainly in Montreal.
It features interviews with the editors of these magazines. We’ll discuss what these new magazines are about and more specifically why print is still relevant in 2013.
End of An Era
In the past few years, Montreal has seen a major shift in its print media landscape.
In April 2009, the alternative francophone weekly Ici announced it would cease publication. Founded in 1997 and owned by Quebecor, it had about 90,000 readers (1).
In May 2012, the alternative anglophone weekly Hour would cease operations. Founded in 1993, it had a circulation of about 50,000 (2).
In June 2012, the Montreal Mirror ceased publishing its print magazine. Its owner, Sun Media (a division of Quebecor) announced the decision. Founded in 1985, it had a circulation of about 70,000 (3).
While the closing of Ici and Hour were understandable, it was the death of Mirror magazine that surprised many.
Having been around for a quarter of a century, it seemed like it had finally gained dominance in the alternative weekly space in the Montreal market. The Mirror and Hour had undergone a protracted battle over the years to capture market share in the anglophone market, in much the same way Voir and Ici had battled for share in the francophone market.
Understanding the Shift
Several factors can help to explain the shift in the Montreal market:
- Rise of digital media. The Quebecor press release about the death of the Mirror cited “the growing popularity of digital media” (4), leaving less room for print.
- Competition. There was solid competition in the weekly alternative magazine space between Ici and Voir on the francophone side, and Mirror and Hour on the anglophone side. This made it more difficult for magazines to thrive in a moderate size market like Montreal.
- Loss of advertisers. With many advertisers moving to the web, it was hard to maintain “rate card” prices for print ads. For example, major promoter Gillet Group (now Evenko) pulled ads from Ici and Hour during the 2008 recession and still reached a similar audience through Voir and Mirror (5).
Of course, the situation in Montreal is not isolated. Magazines worldwide are feeling the impact of the web. Even major US national magazine Newsweek decided in December 2012 to cease its print edition to focus on online content. It had been in print for 80 years and had 1.4 million subscribers (6). That said, it circulation had plummeted from about 3.1 million in 2007 to 1.8 million in 2010.
The Future of Content Distribution
In a statement, Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of Newsweek said: “In our judgment, we have reached a tipping point at which we can most efficiently and effectively reach our readers in all-digital format” (7).
Many wondered whether the demise of Newsweek was an illustration of the sickness of the entire magazine industry. An increasing number of magazines (such as US News & World Report, Smart Money and Newsweek) had indeed recently made the decision to go web only to distribute their content (8).
Other pundits argued that this problem of print-vs-online may not be as widespread as we might think, since some magazines are finding ways to succeed. The Economist doubled print circulation from 800,000 to 1.6 million in 2012 alone. Despite the onslaught of the web and the growing number of tablets, It indeed still seemed possible to make a print magazine succeed today.
The New Guard
Of course, several magazines have stepped up to fill the void in the Montreal print magazine market.
On the cultural front, Cult MTL, which was formed by former staffers of the Mirror (9), is a monthly print publication with a strong web component (having started as an online only venture). Nightlife also built a substantial readership since their first issue in 1999, increasing their online presence (while however having discontinued their print edition recently).
Smart magazines like Urbania (quarterly), Maisonneuve (quarterly) and Nouveau Projet (bi-annual) publish excellent award-winning print editions on broad-ranging topics related to art, opinion and society.
Fashion magazines like Snap, Dressed to Kill, Perle also publish print editions. So does visual arts magazine Décover.
It seems that a new generation of publishers have embraced print. Recognizing the importance of online content, they also realize the timeless value of print. They have adapted their formats, editorial process and publishing frequency to this new reality.
So much so that, very curiously, it seems that much of the best content about cities, culture, politics, design and society is now coming from a small pack of outstanding print magazines.
This week, we’ll feature on Swell interviews with the editors of such outstanding magazines:
- The Alpine Review
- Rake & Co
- CITTÀ
- Baron
- Satellite (based in Toronto)
Their editors have kindly accepted to discuss the challenges and merits of print in today’s online world.
Hopefully, together, we can glean some insights into a renewed relevance of print in 2013.
Print is dead. Long live print.
1. The Alpine Review
A magazine about “changes in thought, systems and creations around the world”
This is the first interview in my multi-part series The New Magazines on the excellent new magazines currently being published in Montreal.
The first time that I picked up The Alpine Review, a “bi-annual comprehensive magazine that tracks changes in thought, systems and creations around the world” (1), my mind was blown by the overall quality and design of the publication. Every article seemed fresh, on-point and well-researched. On top of that, the editing and illustrations were simply spectacular.
So what is The Alpine Review about? It has an extremely broad range, examining changes in society, technology, culture, business and beliefs. In their words, the magazine is about the “ideas, people and places that matter, that have the potential to influence or inspire the operators of change in society. Tied together with a uniting theme or philosophy, each issue keeps you informed and inspired” (2).
Issue #1 featured articles about the internet of things, collaborative consumption, Berlin, Warby Parker and more.
Issue #2 is scheduled for October 2013. Make sure you get a copy, this is essential reading for open minds.
5 Questions with Patrick Tanguay
Patrick Tanguay is a creative generalist on a constant quest for information — always reading, researching and connecting. He’s interested in the disruption of everything, in the rise of open and in understanding the shifts our world is undergoing. He is a developer at Taste of Blue, the co-founder of Station C, the oldest coworking space in Canada and a founding trustee of The Awesome Foundation Montreal.
1. How did your first get interested in magazines and get the idea to start The Alpine Review specifically?
Magazines in general, for ever. In making a magazine, it came after a series of lunches surrounding a research project for a client where we realized there were a lot of the things we were interested in that all connected in a certain landscape of topics, a landscape we wanted to spend more time researching and thinking about and which wasn’t that present in one “media property”.
Through various discussions we decided that a print magazine was the best way for others to learn about those topics in a calm, “lean back” manner and that it would provide us with a good way to discover and connect to networks of people we might want to work with as well as draw their interest in working with us.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about The Alpine Review and its mission/purpose? Who is your reader?
There are probably two core types of readers. First would be someone who’s already quite versed in one or many of our topics and who enjoys having one place to learn about adjacent topics and broaden their interests. The second is people more peripheral to all of that but who feel they need a place to catch up and get up to speed. Hence the “compendium of idea” phrase we use, for many it’s a collection of what they haven’t had the time to follow and research.
With issue one we’ve found that often turns out to be creatives working in agencies/studios of various forms and in a variety of markets.
3. Why is publishing a print copy still relevant in the digital world of 2013? How do you think about distribution?
It’s relevant because it’s still the best reading experience. A quality printed magazine or book remains the best way to disconnect and learn about something in a concentrated manner with no distractions. In terms of distribution we’ve found (and are looking to add) a series of stockists with the same attention to detail and quality we have. That usually means independent, well curated shops who feature their magazines well and know about them. And of course we also sell directly through our website.
4. What is the editorial process of The Alpine Review? How are the topics for each issue chosen?
We read constantly and keep track of the most interesting “signals” we find. When we start the editorial process for a new issue we throw all those signals in one spreadsheet and start looking for connections, overlaps and how it would all fit together. Mostly we don’t commission articles, we find interesting fields, then an interesting “brain” in that field, contact her or him, see if there’s a fit and what could work in terms of article.
We find that there’s a good overlap but also a healthy divergence of interests between myself and Louis-Jacques Darveau, who’s both publisher and my co-editor. So far just pitching our interests and finds together has provided a good mix without specifically trying to go in “missing” directions or trying to fill in gaps. Still, we’ll be adding “editors at large” to broaden our perspective. Finally we’ve had the good fortune already with issue two of getting some very high caliber people contacting us with offers to contribute pieces which has been fantastic for us.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
Issue two is off to the printers this week. Which means after some de-briefing we’ll start thinking about issue three but for the very next few weeks we’ll be working on our digital offer. We’ll be offering digital variations of the magazine and there’s quite a bit of work to do in getting all of that together.
Source: The Alpine Review
2. Rake & Co
A magazine that mixes the cultural and the commercial
This is part three of my multi-part series The New Magazines on the excellent new magazines currently being published in Montreal.
Today, we feature Rake&Co, a superb 120-page bilingual magazine that is “inspired by the cultural, commercial and social goings on in Montreal” and that looks at “new boutiques, evolving districts, local artists, curious new businesses and much more”.
Yesterday’s post featured The Alpine Review, a magazine made by Montrealers focused on larger trends happening around the world. On the other hand, Rake & Co seems more focused on Montreal and the stories of its inhabitants.
Whether it’s learning to grow a tomato plant in a potted farm, discovering a local vintage shop in NDG, organizing a getaway to Saguenay, discussing tables from reclaimed wood or discovering Montreal startups like urban agriculture innovator Lufa Farms, Rake & Co challenges readers to add a pinch of inspiration and creativity to their everyday. The online presence invites the audience to watch, visit, make and read stories.
The magazine is published by Montreal creative agency CloudRaker. This is especially interesting as organizations think about using original content to capture thought leadership. Rake & Co is clearly an innovator in this regard. The magazine illustrates how the agency has its finger on the pulse of what is happening in “Montreal right now”, as the magazine’s tagline suggests.
Volume 1 of Rake&Co. is available for purchase! Order your copy here.
5 Questions Interview with Christina Brown
Christina Brown is VP Creative and Partner at Cloudraker. She previously worked at Cossette and Palm Arnold. She was also a jury member at the 2011 Cannes Festival of Creativity. Read more stories by Christina here.
1. How did your first get interested in magazines and get the idea to start Rake&Co. specifically?
The truth is, growing up, I wanted to a magazine editor. It seemed like a career that would be intellectually, culturally and creatively satisfying. Then I landed a plum internship as a copywriter at a big ad agency right out of school and followed that path. Years later, when I arrived at CloudRaker, a digital agency, I was struck by how vital content was in the digital space. I think I started pitching the idea of a magazine about 2 weeks into the job!
Rake&Co. began as an online magazine almost 4 years ago (then called “The Rake”) and it served as a talent incubator for the team. We would do interviews, make films, write articles, take pictures, and build things, anything that struck our fancy, really. I wanted the team to have an outlet to hone their crafts around content development using the amazing and nimble tools at our avail and then pass that learning on to our clients. And we did. But along the way, we realized that it was great for internal culture, it was a really satisfying process and we were proud of the quality. So we decided to make it a print magazine last summer.
It was an interesting process because we were so used to having our content live online, which gave us a lot of flexibility in terms of how we told our stories. We found ourselves particularly missing the films we had been doing, so we created films that complimented stories that were only viewable on a mobile device. Some people complained that the films weren’t online, but we wanted the film content to be consumed as a compliment to the magazine itself, something a tablet or phone could do. We didn’t want readers going to their computers and abandoning the paper experience. You don’t sit at your computer and read a magazine, but you will read a magazine with your mobile nearby.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about Rake & Co and its mission/purpose? Who is your reader?
The only real mission we have is to celebrate the good stuff going on in Montreal. Rake&Co. is by no means a definitive take on the city, nor does it try to be. As a team we are always sharing new and interesting things we’ve come across and the editorial line is really just an extension of that. We are an eclectic group of people with varying interests, but we share the common trait of curiosity. We love discovering the little things happening in the city, like the smaller independent shops that are trying to do business differently or a character you’d like to have a chat with over a drink at a great watering hole or a home that is unusual or compelling.
We didn’t think about tailoring our editorial to a specific reader for the first issue. In creating the magazine, we just assumed that folks who shared our interests would enjoy it. We really set out to create something we ourselves would buy. We were pretty confidant Rake&Co. would find it’s audience organically and happily it did. That said we were totally prepared to fail. We came at it so humbly and were blown away by the reader response. Even though it is an official agency project, it is deeply personal to everyone involved and I think, or hope, that comes across in the final product. We just want to share good stuff about our city with readers who love good stuff and our city.
3. Why is publishing a print copy still relevant in the digital world of 2013? How do you think about distribution?
The role of print has changed drastically in our everyday lives, but it is by no means “dead”. Sure, it’s no longer where we get breaking news, obviously that is happening online. But as more and more content is available to us digitally, the more precious the printed object has become. There is something definitive and purposeful about committing to print and readers know that instinctively. The surge of independent magazines we are seeing proves that there is still a thirst for the medium and that there are readers are willing to pay a premium for it. The real question is what role advertising will play in print now that it is losing it’s status as a heavily consumed mass media. This is something that Rake&Co. has us thinking about a lot, for the magazine, our business and our clients.
Our distribution strategy was very simple for the first issue. We just sat down and made a list of boutiques we frequent and respect and where the product lines were a fit with our content and vision. We sold on consignment, as we were sensitive to smaller businesses taking a risk on an untested product. Soon after we hit the shelves in a few targeted spots, we were getting calls for orders from boutiques all over town.
4. What is the editorial process of Rake & Co? How are the topics for each issue chosen?
We really pull stories from the community around us. We talk to friends and acquaintances and, of course, do a lot of research both formally and informally. But a lot of our best stories come from someone taking a bike ride on a Saturday afternoon and coming across something intriguing or someone saying “Hey, I have a friend who…” After the launch of our first volume, I was inundated with press releases about this or that and I ignored them. If there is PR company involved, then chances are it isn’t the kind of story we want to tell. I’d rather take a stranger off the street and ask them to tell us something about their lives than sell an agenda guised as content through the magazine. I realize that’s somewhat ironic given we are an ad agency, but I do strongly believe in the division of church and state on this matter. That said, brands have a lot to gain from behaving editorially, they just have to be transparent and earn the consumer opt-in.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
We are deep into our second volume now and we decided to work with a theme this time: Home. It’s very broad so we don’t feel too restricted, but it’s pushing us to go deeper into creative storytelling. We are really proud of the first issue, but we want to get a bit more playful with how we present our stories.
We are also looking at revenue models that are more sustainable. We’ll remain ad-free in the print magazine, but want to explore new ways of offsetting the cost to consumer at the newsstand and provide like-minded brands the opportunity to connect with our readers.
The other area, which is huge for us, is digital integration. So many publishers have migrated content online, shut down the print version and have simply recreated the exact same model in the online venue. I don’t know whether that lives up to readers’ very high expectations these days. I think advertisers still have an important role to play in print; the big question is in what capacity? We are looking at some pretty exciting technology to resolve that challenge. And no, I cannot say more!
Photos: Source
3. CITTÀ
A magazine that opens up a dialogue between cities
This is part four of my multi-part series The New Magazines on the excellent new magazines currently being published in Montreal.
If the The Alpine Review (part 2) explores the massive trends happening around the world and Rake & Co (part 3) focuses on what is happening in Montreal now, CITTÀ magazine proposes to put Montreal in dialogue with other cities around the world through international artistic collaborations.
Founded in 2012, CITTÀ is a bi-annual magazine where each edition is focused on a given pair of cities. CITTÀ #0 focused on the relationship between Montreal and Berlin, while CITTA #1 focuses on Montreal and Casablanca. By bridging two cities, CITTÀ also becomes a reflexion on our own city.
Cities and multiculturalism are a key part of the formula. CITTÀ relies on a deep network of multi-disciplinary collaborators living in many cities in order to produce its very full multi-perspective view on urban life. Distribution is also international with the magazine available in Montreal, Vancouver, Paris, Rome and soon Casablanca.
I met Léa through the entrepreneur group Entrepreneurs Anonymes that I co-founded. I was impressed from the start with her ambitious vision to, each issue, tell the tale of two cities.
The launch for the new issue, Issue #1, will be held October 10. You can follow them on Facebook in the meantime or join their launch event. Get ready to pick up a copy soon for a unique window into international urban culture.
5 Questions with Léa Jeanmougin
Born in Marseilles, Léa Jeanmougin works as a journalist and editor in Montreal, as well as being the editor of her publishing company Éditions Circéa. She is currently working on a photographic book with Italian photographer Giorgio Coen Cagli.
1. How did your first get interested in magazines and get the idea to start CITTÀ specifically?
I like reading magazines, but I especially like making them. My first experience in editing got me really passionate about the editorial process. My friend Adèle Flannery had suggested we start a student paper when we were in University and that’s how it all started. Editing encompasses everything that I love: curating, writing, working with authors on their writing, graphic design.
I came up with the idea for CITTÀ between Montreal, Seattle and Rome, between May 2011 and June 2012. I’d spent that year searching for what it was that I wanted to do with my life (!). The idea of linking different cities came to me in a Eureka moment, while flipping through the pages of an Italian magazine called Urban. I’m really passionate about languages, foreign cultures, and especially the City, with a capital C. And as the daughter of a French-Canadian mom and a French dad who was born in Morocco, I myself am a product of multiculturalism. Plus I truly love Montreal and sincerely want to contribute to its blossoming. And there you have it, all the key ingredients that were needed to create CITTÀ.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about CITTÀ and its mission/purpose? Who is your reader?
CITTÀ’s main focus is on photography and urban culture (art, design, music). But the concept, which is unique, is to draw parallels and become a platform for collaboration between Montreal and other metropolises in the world. Those parallels are drawn with the “portrait croisés,” which are deeply rooted in the traditions of photojournalism, interviews and “carte blanche” creative projects with collaborators from Montreal and abroad.
The aim is two-fold: open the horizons of Montrealers to what is happening abroad while touching on what is happening here (local talent, cultural communities, etc), but also to put Montreal on the map internationally. I’ve travelled quite a bit, and I know that NO ONE knows Montreal to be the cultural metropolis that it actually is.
That said, the magazine’s concept is still taking shape. I see it as a continuous creative approach. Of course you need an audience, and a main guideline, but most of all I want the project to remain an “artwork,” not commodity. I want to keep exploring and, to be honest, enjoying myself.
Our readers are so different from one another that there’s no way of pigeonholing them. It would be like assigning a single identity to someone who considers themselves to be a “citizen of the world.” The magazine doesn’t glorify any particular niche culture. To me, the more open it is, the better it is. Generalizing isn’t good for sales on paper, but our magazine has actually been selling very well. In Montreal, I think the magazine’s intent is felt. Abroad, the magazine is seen as an object to be discovered and to keep nicely in a bookshelf.
3. Why is publishing a print copy still relevant in the digital world of 2013? How do you think about distribution?
Because we’re sensitive and sensual beings! We’re starting to see things through the prism of utilitarianism: they have to be lucrative and efficient. But we forget that pleasure most likely lies in what’s isn’t. Art is a good example of that. Creating a magazine with your own hands is something digital media can’t replace. The same goes for running your hands on silky, matte paper, and that’s something people are still searching for.
Paper will always be around and there’s prestige attached to it. It invites a moment of pause and of quality time to discover quality content. This is all very important to me, because art needs hindsight to survive. The speed at which media evolves encourages overconsumption, which I think is the best way to kill culture.
From a personal point of view, choosing to go with print gave me credibility. I’m not well known; I’m not part of an agency or a network of terribly successful people. This magazine allowed me to make a name for myself. A lot of people take the Web route, but it takes a lot more determination to make a printed magazine, a lot more sacrifices. I see it almost like a business card that opens doors and lets me live the life I want.
For now the magazine is self-distributed. We carefully select where we’ll sell, both in Montreal and abroad. When you deal with a distributor, you incur losses, and because of the investment the project demands, we can’t afford that. I rely on our readers’ responses to determine how relevant our distribution points are. People find CITTÀ and contact us to congratulate us. That’s when I know we’ve reached our audience.
4. What is the editorial process of CITTÀ? How are the topic for each issue chosen?
It’s a very intuitive and organic process. It all begins once I’ve chosen the city. At this stage, the project is still very much tied to my personal life, so that’s what I turn to in order to write the editorial. Once the city’s chosen, the magazine takes shape around encounters and touching base. I also do a lot of research on new talents; I approach people with whom I’d like to work. When the city is chosen, many contacts seem to magically manifest themselves to become part of the narrative.
Also, if everyone’s talking about something, it doesn’t interest me. I always dig deeper, searching for something a bit unexpected. For example, because it’s my hometown, I could have easily centered CITTÀ’s first issue on Marseilles, which is the European Capital of Culture this year and all the magazines have thrown themselves at it. Instead, I stayed I chose Casablanca, for many reasons. Why? Because Montreal has a huge community hailing from the Maghreb, because it’s taken a backseat vis-à-vis other cities in the Arab revolutions, because our political context lends itself to it, because I wanted to celebrate my dad’s photography in the city… So many reasons that lead to a cohesive theme and a unique outlook.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
As of October, I’ll be working on the magazine’s second issue, focused on Mexico City, where I’ll be living for five months. I am also working on limited edition CITTÀ numbers, which will be mini publications to highlight my collaborations with photographers from Montreal and abroad. A lot of people have contacted me spontaneously, so I think this’ll give us a great opportunity to collaborate. I’ve also been thinking about having CITTÀ “ambassadors” in other cities, to really promote Montreal abroad. The magazine’s concept is so rich, so lush, that we really have a lot to choose from. My only wish is to keep things balanced. I’m curious to see where it’ll take us. The best part of the project is the unknown.
Photo (top): Anaïse Camilien
4. Baron
A magazine about city life from all perspectives
This is part five of my multi-part series The New Magazines on the excellent new magazines currently being published in Montreal.
The magazines we have featured so far (The Alpine Review, Rake & Co, and CITTÀ) were mainly focused on city life and culture. Baron has a bit more of a business slant, but with an infusion of culture nevertheless!
Baron is particularly interested in creativity, entrepreneurship, design, business and marketing. You’ll be able to find stories about cutting-edge Japanese office furniture, a new web series on advertising or the new trends in e-tailing. Baron also has an interesting recurring series on how creative professionals work.
I met Nelson when he reached out to write an article about the Entrepreneurs Anonymes group that I co-founded for Baron. What was supposed to a brief interview about the group turned into a mutual exploration of our various past entrepreneurial projects!
Nelson is a passionate serial entrepreneur with an extensive background in launching ventures in media, publishing and events. He also seems to share a completely unbounded curiosity, with interests cutting across food, business, art and music.
The next edition of Baron launches September 24.
5 Questions with Nelson Roberge
Nelson is director, producer, designer and editor at Extra Caramel. He is the editor of both Baron and Perle magazines, as well as the organizer of the J’ai faim food fest. He was previously editor in chief of Bang Bang music site, and a director and promoter at R.A.D., a punk rock record label.
1. How did your first get interested in magazines and get the idea to start Baron specifically?
I’ve been passionate about magazines for a very long time now. At that the age of 8 or 9, I read Safarir and Bamboo (two underground comic magazines, at the time) and I knew I wanted to be a cartoonist when I grew up. So I started publishing my own comics at 13 years old. Later on, I rebelled and I started a punk fanzine (RAD: Rien à déclarer) that turned into a magazine and was distributed in major cities across Quebec.
That’s when I realized I was more interested in publishing than being a cartoonist. Since then, three magazines were created: BangBang, Perle and Baron. Baron started with the idea of satisfying our thirst for marketing, entrepreneurship and to see what was going on outside of Quebec. There are so many inspiring things going on in the world and we wanted to help people discover them.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about Baron and its mission/purpose? Who is your reader?
Baron’s mission is to inspire french professionals and entrepreneurs by discussing creative projects from here and elsewhere. We are particularly interested in design, business and marketing. Understanding how other companies manage their business or projects is something that we like to share. Our readers have backgrounds in communications, design (graphic, industrial, architecture) and culture (music and visual arts).
3. Why is publishing a print copy still relevant in the digital world of 2013? How do you think about distribution.
Publishing is not relevant for all projects. It all depends on your targeted audience and objectives. It’s the same thing with distribution. For Baron, publishing is important because it serves as a complement to the media. The web is a direct and daily way of communicating with your audience, the print is a tangible object that people want to hold and the events enforce a sense of community.
For Baron, the printed version is also a kind of business card, a promotional tool for all of our activities. Everyone still loves holding and smelling printed products. The digital world has not killed print, I believe the two are very complimentary. Baron is distributed for free in some strategic locations, such as some universities in Montreal as well as in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver. However, Baron is primarily a paid circulation in certain specialty stores.
4. What is the editorial process of Baron? How are the topic for each issue chosen.
There is always a main theme and that theme varies and depends on the latest trends in the business world. We also love talking about who’s new in the industry and how they got started.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
We are always striding to keep up with the market because there are no obvious moves to be made in independent media. The next edition of Baron will be launched September 24 and will cover the city of Helsinki. At the same time, we will present our new espresso cup, handmade out of wood, by Milan. And on top of this all, we are working on a food and design event at the end of the year.
Photo: Source
5. Satellite
A biannual magazine from Toronto on cities, culture and politics
This is sixth and final part of my multi-part series The New Magazines on the excellent new magazines currently being published in Montreal. Except that this one is actually from Toronto!
Well, Satellite was strongly recommended by a whipsmart and knowledgeable friend of mine, and they’ve dedicated an issue to Montreal, so I guess I had no choice but to include it!
Satellite is a “biannual magazine focusing on cities, culture and politics. Each issue features an “in-depth look at a single city, alongside interviews, art, and nonfiction”. Previous issues have focused on Toronto, Montreal and New Orleans.
The magazine’s eclectic mix of collaborators includes amongst others artists, political thinkers, urbanists, academics, authors and activists.
If you’re looking to find out what Noam Chomsky think of drones or Iran, Satellite is for you. You’ll also find interviews, articles, art and essays on a wide-array of subjectcs, such as the violence in Mumbai, the new Norwegians or Montreal-based architect Phyllis Lambert.
The Toronto issue is now available.
5 Questions with Steven Garbas
Steven Garbas lives in Toronto.
1. How did your first get interested in magazines and get the idea to start Satellite specifically?
Satellite came out of another literary magazine that we were doing out of New York a few years ago. We could see the things that weren’t working and the some of the things that were, and decided to start something new. After a few issues, I think editors in general want to kill each other. (We were there after one.) The concept of focussing on a new city each issue was a leftover. But doing nonfiction, long-form journalism, and architecture is new. We were just more interested in botched subway expansions than, say, poetry. Not that there’s anything wrong with poetry. So, Satellite came out of trial and error.
I first became interested in magazines when the Laetitia Casta Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue came out in the late 1990s. I might’ve bought a MAD Magazine before then.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about Satellite and its mission/purpose? Who is your reader?
Satellite is a bi-annual print magazine that focusses on a different city in each issue. So, we look at architecture, urban planning, affordable art, etc. As well, we have a politics section that covers anything going on in the world. Noam Chomsky has been in every issue so far. And then we publish some weirder people that wouldn’t get the chance otherwise. Like the elderly puppeteer who went to Peru to take ayahausca with a witch doctor to treat his parkinson’s disease. Marc Thorpe. He invented Robot Wars. I just met him in San Francisco and we thought it was a good story. Not all of them are that good though.
We don’t really know who are readers actually are. That’s the thing with print sales, you don’t get the data you get with website analytics. You can assume some engineers. And anarcho-syndicalists. Fans of robots.
3. Why is publishing a print copy still relevant in the digital world of 2013? How do you think about distribution?
Well, a strong argument can be made that it isn’t relevant. It certainly isn’t profitable. We have a website that we update all the time, since the print edition only comes out twice a year. We aren’t luddites. But the print issue is really thoughtfully done. The week the new issue comes out is the least depressed you feel working on this type of thing.
We just use the traditional distribution system: some corporation. One in the US, one in Canada. Then we have independent contracts throughout both. A couple in Europe and the Middle East too.
4. What is the editorial process of Satellite? How are the topics for each issue chosen?
I work with an editor/art director in New York, Sarah Wesseler, on what the city is going to be. Then we work out some topics that need coverage. Then we give out some assignments to writers we like. And we accept some submissions. (It probably ends up being half assignments and half submissions in the end.) Then, once the drafts are in, we kick them back and forth. Then Wesseler does the layouts. Then I stop answering emails for a while.
We just try to pick topics we think are interesting. There are other factors and we hardly ever agree, but that’s the main thing.
5. What are you working on now? What’s next?
The Toronto issue just came out, so we’re promoting that. We’re doing the Word on the Street Book Fairin Toronto on the 22nd. Then we start the next one. We’re looking at New York City.
Photo: Source