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Severalyearsagoa fall hurricane dumped six inchesof water in mybasement. After ripping offa sequenceof expletivesthat would rival thosespokenby u stevedore, I attemptedto savemore than four decadesworth of materialsthreatenedby the rising indoor tide.
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In one box I found the last catalog produced by the H.L. Leonard Rod Company $ohnson Wax owned them at the time), and there was also a receipt for a Hardy Featherweight that I bousht after a summer of
bailing hay (retail price $88.00). I lbund an carly Thomas & Thomas catalog along r,vitha lost pack ol moosc manc that cost 90 cents. Includcd, too, \,vercvery early issucsof a ncw rnagazinc callcd Ffl Fi.thermanas r,vellas the first copy of a magazine calle d Rod and Reel that was later renamed Fj liltd I l?eel. 'l'hcrc wcrcra numbcr of vcrsions of Fj Tyer magaznc from rvhcn
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world of digitally published blogs and ezines.In the past few years, haveretooledtheir many businesses salesand marketingexpenditures by reducing print advertising. In many circles,print is perceivedas costly with no ROI while digital has gained favor becauseof its perceptionas "free." InJanuary, Insiderreported 2012, Business that CEO Robert McDonald of powerhouseProcter& Gamble laid off 1600marketingpersonnel and staff after finding out that Facebookand Googlewere either free or relatively free. There is a tremendouscost savingsto the $ l0 billion annual ad budget,but are customersturning to socialmedia for information on Old Spiceor Tide laundry detergent?Mark Twain once said "common sense ain't that common," and with marketingbudget-cutsoccurring in suchan expedientfashion,I beg the question:has digital replacedprint in the fly fishing and sportingsectors?
The first customerchangeoccurred somewherebetweenthe Summer of Love and Watergate,and it camewith a questfor more and specificinformation. In certain sportingsectorsthere was a customerbasethat beganto focus on specificsportingdisciplines. The all-purposesportsmangave way to narrowly aligned user groupswho thirstedfor greater coverageand more information about their favoriteactivities.The pattern is reflectedacrossmany sportingcategorics.With regards to fly fishing,DonZahner lead the packwith the l969launch of the niche publication he calledFl1 A number of start-up Fisherman. niche publicationssproutedthrough a the mid 1970'sand established velocityof new magazinesthat With the increasingcrop of fly continuedto launch throughout fishingand sportingezines,blogs, the next few decades.Each new and socialmedia threadsit would magazinehad a particular focus, seemso. The similaritiesare with somekeyingin on sporting that print and digital are both art and literature,otherswith for-profitbusinessmodelsthat destinationand how-to's,and respondto a particular customer still otherswith techniquesand base. Historically,and as evidenced products. Flt Fisherman, FQ Rod I by the print Big Three sporting Anglerfocusedon Reel,and American Outdoor magazines(FieMA Stueam, all facets of fly fishing, while Wild Life and SportsAfieldS,sportsmen F[t or Warmwater SalmonandSteelhead were sportsmen.The lion's share Fishingaddresseda specificspecies of the angling demographic Fb Fishingand later or two. Saltwater favored conventionaltackle and addressed Fl2 Fishingin Saltwaters then gravitatedtowardsspin tackle. an environmentwhile others,like FIy fishing was perceivedas an Flt EasternFl2 Fishing,JVorthwest 's elitistsport until Shakespeare Fly Fishing Fishingand Southwest Wonderrod, Pfleuger'sMedalist provideda regionalapproach. series,and Cortland's333 reduced the financialentry point. Fishermen Fly fishing market retraction and also were highly likely to be hunters, the struggling domestic and world
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and their diversefishingmethods were mirrored in their pursuit of big game,upland birds, and waterfowl. Fly fishing coveragewas a small percentageof total editorialbut that was destinedto change.
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economieshavecausedmany magazinesto losesubscribers and advertisers.A number of publicationshave not survived. A new hurdle for print magazinesto overcomecomesback around to the emergenceof digital publishing and socialmedia. When I finished bailing water in my basementand returned to my office I was likely to find one of the newestdigital fly fishing publications ready for my perusal. So while the world continuesto turn toward digital technology for their information, I wonder if sportsmen in generaland fly fishermenin specificprefer print or digital as the way they'd like to receivetheir information. Digital publishing and socialmedia haveemergedas mainstaysin our everydayworld. But doesthat trend hold true for sportingactivitiesin generaland specificallyfly fishing? To answerthat questionI turned to publishersand editorswho represent more than a century of experience. It goeswithout sayingthat each begantheir careersin print, but every one has significantexperience in print and in digital and are able to provide an unbiasedopinion on the valuesand limitationsof each. I first spokewith Ed Gray, the founder of Gral\ SportingJournal. In recognitionof the changing audiencewhich led to ABC shuttering TheAmericanSportsman in 1974,Gray launcheda perfectbound rnagazineof no lessthan 96 pages,that was printed on 50-pound stock,and featureda 70/30 ratio. His editorial-to-advertising preliminary issuewas launchedon HalloweenNight 1975,and nearly four decadeslater Gra/s Sporting
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not considclcd "rcal actors" unless they havt: llcrcn on Brcladu,ar...It is a quality vcrslls quantity issne,and crLlstomcrii buy quality maga.zines. -l'zrlented \\rritcrs aind pholouraphcrs c o r r r h i r r crdl i t l r q u a l i t r p l i r r t n-ragazincrs propcrlv aclclrt:ssthe s p c l r t i n ec u s t o m c r d c m o g r a p h i c . I t might not hi1 thc youth{ul scctol btrt i t a d d r c s s c st h c l z r r g c s lt) c r c c n t a g c ol- the total n'rarket,ancl thal is rvhlit is impclrtant."
nichc-consun-icrdemand, ivith -Fl1' Fi.slrcrntan lrr:ing onc ol thc fiontrunners to oflcr cxp:rnclcd fly fishing ('ovcrragc. lt!1, Tler camc aboard in t h c 1 9 7 0 ' sa n d r c g i o n i i l n ' i a g a z i n e s i n t h c 1 9 8 0 ' st h r o u g h t l i c 1 9 9 0 ' s .
"\Vith zrllo[' thc technokrsical o[- sporlsnrcn cxists ancl lhcy liavor c n h a n c c m c r r t s ,d i e i t a l h a s l r r : c : o m e p r i r r t . N l u n v i , v i l lr c a d d i g i t a l , b u t r-norepopul:rr. r\n or-rlin<'nragazinc tlic prir"r'ralvcllstomer lrasc u'hcr r r , i t ha s t a l l ' o { ' o l l e o r t u ' o l i n d spenclsl'lronoyon procltrctsancl c l c s k t o pp u l r l i s h i n e c a n p r o d u c c a trips rcacl print. T'hc last r:cntury tragazinc thiit will servit:t:<lrrcnichcr 'lir shor,vcdLrsiL sir-nilarl)attcrll in lir.c o{-thc nichc rnarket. s t : r yi n .Jim Br-rtlt:r,thc lbrn'rcr cclilor o1' t h c a t c r ,f i l n r a r r d t h c n t c l c v i s i o n . I"l1 lls11E Iilcl, bcgan rvor-kingon l r u s i n c s sr l r r l i n g t h i s d i l i i c u l t c ' l i m z r t c , A s f i l n r l i n c [t c l c v i s i o n t ' n r c r q c da s l ) o u , n I i u s t l ' ) n t c r p r i s i r ' s{ l l f i s h i n e l t r , r l t i i s l i c rns c c c l t o s t L r c ht ' h : n r g c s nt:rv mirrli<rts,lir.e tht:utur srr[lcrr:da r l a g i r z i r r c i r r l ! ) 8 6 , s o v c ny o r r r s in hor,vlcac[r'rsu'ant to lt't't'ivcr slight rctrar:lion. In rlul tinic, snrall a l i c r i t r v a s [ i r u n d c c l . " H i s t o r i c : r " l l y , i n l i r r m z r t i o r ra s w c l l z r sw l t i i t t y l t c o [ ' movics havc lrcr:n rcPlat't'c[b1,1]11vs1' l l r c r c u , l r si r ( n r n r c n d r i t r ss P i k t :i n i t t [ i r r r n l r t i r lrltt t r r r A l l ll { ) r ' r ' r ' r ' i v t ' . I a l g t ' u'ith trcnrcrrclotrslv Iruclgcts. 1 l r cs p o l t i r r g t^' u s t o n r c rI x r s t 'a f i t - r I"ly Rod E lletl has print iinrl soor.r'l'hat s l i i l , l i v c t h c a t r r li s s t i l l v i b r a n t , \ \ , i r r l d \ \ ' I a l I I , " h c s a i c l . " N l a q a z i n c s a n d i r r n u l r r yi n s t a n c o sa, c t o r sa r c c x p z r . t t d t :tcol i : a t c r t o t l i c g r o w i n a cant.tnuecl an next page.,
to-be-launcheddigital platforms (and our sisterpublication, Shooting Sportsman, already boastsa digitalSlol). When only pub called Sporting and failures we monitor successes we find many clear examplesof what works. Pure information like knot tying and the latest fishing conditions are great for the digital market. Videos explain knottying far better than print, and fishing reports reach more anglers more quickly on the web. But if a customeris looking to experience the sporting lifestylethen they are likely to find that level of quality in a magazine they can hold as opposedto view on a screen."
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disseminatinginformation, though much of it was suspect.Blogging softwareenabledpublishersto produce and distribute content very inexpensivelyand it changed everything. But it also didn't guaranteequality. The Internet has proven that the loudest people are often the Ieastknowledgeable." Cutchin doesn'tthink a shift to digital meansthe death of magazines,and he doesn't think the "flipbook" concept answersan important need. "In someways, a medium that allows anyone to assemblecontent works against information quality. Print getsmore expensiveall the time, so smart publishersare focusingon what print doesbest,which in my opinion is deliveringa tactileexperience-high-resolutionphotography and art on nice thick paper, for example. The look and feel of a magazine is distinct, and 'flipbooks' can't replicate that electronically. On the other hand, subscriptionbasedmagazinescan't achievethe audiencereachthey once had, both becauseof compbtingchannels and becauseconsumerbehavioris changingat an acceleratingpace. Digital is learning to survivewithout print, I think, but print can't survive without digital."
Digital publishing guru Marshall Cutchin from MidCurrent doesn't attach any perceivedmagazine subscriptiondeclinesto digital. "Many magazinesstarted to decline before Google appearedon the scene,"said Cutchin. "From an magazineshave expense-side, alwaysbeen big-budgetprojects that are content, subscriptionand advertisingmodels. While I've seenconsumersmoving away from magazinesthat supply mass-market information they continue to find room for those that provide content for specialtysubjects. Still, the challengesof the future for print are well known and scary. For digital? Their successes are becomingmore John Frazier,editor of the niche of a niche Ffu Fishingin Saltwaters apparent. Digital has the chance representsan interestingtwist. to embracechangein a way that Before converting to digital, Frazier print neverdid becauseit doesn't got his start in print. "Digital is rely on expensiveproduction and a highly profitable endeavor,and distribution models. the advertisingrevenuesversusthe "With digital comesan appealing cost centersare favorableto the low-entry cost which partly explains publisher. Digital isn't a fad, it's the dramatic increasein digital here to stay. sporting publications. And with "That said, the most important that low-entry costcomesa second question is not what will the P&L is the process. issue,which vetting Iook like or what will the accounting In the 1990s,bulletin boards department say. The questionis were a tremendousvehicle for
how do your readerswant their content delivered? Web is great as it was intended, and that is to provide short, quick hits. But print has more longevity and quality attachedto it. Fly fishing consumersfavor quality over quantity, and while the younger market enjoysthe socialcomponent deliveredrelatively immediately in a conversationaltone, print is the dominant businessdriver. "No one has crackedthe digital code yet, so it's wise to offer both versionsto customersand to let them decide. But now that I'm involved in print magazinesI'm in it to stay. And so are my readers." Kirk Deeter has an interesting 360-view of the fly fishing industry. LikeJim Butler beforehim, Deeter editsboth a consumerand trade magazine (TROUT and Angling Trade,respectively).Deeter also is a book author, a FieldI Streameditorat-large, a blogger for Field I Stream ("FlyTalk") and for the RBFF's Take Me Fishingprogram. "The questionof print versusdigital remindsme of fiIm." he said. "I'll watch somemovieson an iPad, and otherson a television.But then there are just somethat I have to see on the big screen. And so it goes with digital and print applications. "Simply put, good content sells. With that question answered, the real issueis what vehicle best matchesthe words and images? It's a match-the-hatchof content, and the content is dictated by your audience. To simply take content that is bestsuitedfor a print publication and offer it in digital form doesn't solvethe issue. "I think of blogs and social media Iike open-mic night. The quality of blogs and postsrange from excellent to beyond the pale of acceptable.
To think that a customerwho spends$5,000on a S-night/4-day fishing trip or $750 on a fly rod is postingon Facebookor reading flipbooks is not likely. He's probably working hard to be able to afford a quality trip or quality tackle. That demographicis likely to favor print. Productsthat appealto a youngeraudienceor are price-point driven may do well with digital. But each group must know their audience. TROUT magazine,for instance,consistsof a 50* year old demographic. To shift from print to digital for a cost savingswould be greatfor the P&L, but disastrous to all other facets. So by adding a digital application, I can disseminate information to a younger audience so as to increasetheir participation in Trout Unlimited while maintainingmy core constituency. Again, it's match-the-hatchfor your customers." RossPurnell, the editor of Fl1 Fisherman, the largestcirculation flyfishing print magazinefor 40 years, actually began his publishing career in the digital world. Purnell was the first employeeof the revolutionary website,The Virtual Flyshop(1996). Ffu Fishermanmagazine acquired The Virtual Flyshopin a strategic move designedto capitalizeon the digital platform and to offer readersand advertisersa state-ofthe-art publishing arm that was additional to the industry-leading print publication. Purnelljoined the editorial staff of the print magazine in 2001. "The reality is that nobody has to choose.Almost everybodyI know takes advantageof both. You prefer digital if you need a fly recipe quick you Google it. If you want to banter with fellow fly fishers on bulletin boards you know where to
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find it. Up-to-dateindustry news? The Internetwins.But sometimes you want to sit in a big easychair and read a good magazinewith quality editorial you can depend on. Somepeoplekeep their stackof magazinesin the bathroom. Or they pick up a magazine before they get on a plane. There will alwaysbe a place for print magazines. "We don't expectconsumersto have to choose.Fl2 Fisherman began publishinga web siteback in 1996, we've got the best fly-tying app in the iTunesstore,we're developing relationshipswith our readers through socialmedia, and we're working on the iPad version of F[t Fisherman right now. We listen to consumersand plan to provide the best fly fishing information however they chooseto consumeit. And right now, they want it all. "Print publications have many advantagesthat ensuretheir Iongevity.I think the backbone of any good printed magazineis credibility. Readerstrust what they read in Ffu Fisherman becausethe information comesfrom a very selectlist of experts,the information hasbeen vetted,and you don't have to wade through millions of pages
of garbageto find what you're looking for. Trust is a big issue when you're askingpeopleto take out their wallet and buy something. According to a 2011 Southwickand Associatesstudy,print advertising is still number one in terms of influencingpurchasingdecisionsand that'ssomethingsmart advertisers are already aware of. Our readers paid money for the magazinewhich identifiesthem as not just serious fly fishers,but as seriousconsumers. And the way you consumea printed magazine-from front to back with no goal other than absorbing each page-assures advertisersthat the ad has much greatvalue.It's being carefully read by the right people. It's not just flashingby on a computer screen." Sporting businesses in generaland fly fishing businesses in specificdo well to include a balancedmarketing approach,Ioadedmostly for print and secondarilyfor digital. Oh, yeah, back to the basement. As I finishedbailing water and set about to packing up my box I found several floppy discsfrom an old Mac l28, and it made me think. I surewish I had printed the contentsof those discsback in, how shallI say,1984. (D<
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