Where the Boys Aren't

So many men, so many problems. We don't watch enough television. We watch too much television. Our attention spans are too short. We do ... umm, other things too fast. The MTA says menfolk take up too many seats with our long legs and goofy backpacks. We don't listen or take you anywhere nice. Now the latest: we don't read enough magazines and advertisers are getting worried. Business Week reports the year's biggest sales leaders are the girl 'zines like Us Weekly, Real Simple, or Lucky.

"Women's interest in reading did not fall this year," says Ann Moore, chairman and CEO of Time Inc. (TWX). But "we continue to see you men distracted by other things," she adds with a grin, as if I'm about to dash off to fire up a bunch of bottle rockets or spend hours, jaws clenched, blasting through HALO.

But the silver lining: men visit magazine websites much more often and spend more hours online for all the "extra content." Thank you.

Where the Boys Aren't (Business Week)

Comments

[Bernie]

I subscribe to a number of magazines, but they are all very specialized in nature, centered around my very eclectic interests. That pop culture crap doesn't find its way into my mailbox.

And between the Inernet and cable, the "news" publications are pointless. They are old news by the time you read them.

[Jimmy]

The first magazine for women that I remember reading was the first issue of "PLAYGIRL", and that was way back in the 1960s... I think. I don't subscribe to any mags, women's or otherwise, but I DO pick up mags on the newsstands that interest me. Besides, with e-zines like Rod 2.0 Beta and those which are linked with him, there is plenty to keep me occupied.

[Da Greasy Guide]

Gaming is a 4 billion dollar a year industry and is continuing to grow. There are not men's magazine that I would ever want to read expect for the one with my byline in them. But they've known about this trend leaning away from TV, movies, and magazines for a while. That's why you see more in game ad's. But those seeking to market to men are going to have to go where they are.