The Angling papers such as Angling Times and The Mail - can they survive?

[Oneabung]

My question is this - do you currently buy one of the major angling publications? And if so do you think you will still be buying them in the next few years?

My thinking is that as the internet expands and the information is available for free people will slowly drift away from buying these angling magasines, their circulations are already dropping and hence their advertising revenues on which they depend for survival - how long until they all dissapear?

[carl heaton]

i still buy matchfishing and pole fishing mags,it gives me something to read at work plus i enjoy reading them.

[Larry Teepot]

i only ever look at results in the weeklys....i do AM on line and AT in the shop if i think....all my other research is now Internet sourced .

[droid]

I don't buy the weeklies, but I do buy Match Fishing occasionally.

If the internet was to have an effect on circulation, it would have happened by now with the proliferation of Broadband. Any recent drop in circulation is more likely due to the recession.

The internet's OK but with the best will in the world I'm not taking a laptop into the bog....

[silver fish]

Both the weeklies continue to peddle the same dross every week, there simply isn't the content to support them. In the past , the match reports and diary features were the reason to buy, but neither cover the match scene in any meaningful sense now. Each week the cover story is another wonder bait or scare story about immigrants. Who needs that?
I still buy Match and Pole fishing, but think they are over priced for what they deliver. I'm surprised that none of the publishing houses has gone to market with one of their magazines on line! They can strip out the cost of printing and delivery at a stroke, maybe even add elements of interactivity, or added video content to reward the subscribers ? I can't imagine that any of the raw materials are going to fall in price in the future so maybe we'll see that pilotted somewhere?
I would add that the level of journalism in all of the press is amateurish at best. Product revews are no more than a reprint of the manufacturers brochure or leaflet! Im old enough to understand that they need advertising revenue, but the fawning praise of gear is pathetic. Every product gets the same subjective drivvel, there is a huge gap for some objective review of the products merits.
The same applies to the articles, with celebrity anglers being allowed to speak in cliches, and go unchallenged about there reasoning for a particular method or technique .
The growth of sites like this, can only weaken the potential readership, especially given the current restrictions on disposable income.
Great question Simon, Nice one.

Regards...Mark

[mick57]

I agree with much of silver fishes above reply for years i bought AT and AM every week ,now its only occasionally and the biggest disappointment for myself is Match fishing ,in recent years IMO the content has gone right down in line with the price increasing.Likewise Advanced pole fishing i think there is a gap in the market for a decent competition in this area.

I would still rather a mag than on line but a proper one !.

[Carlbags]

Although I still buy both of the weeklies I have no real idea why!!! The match coverage in the mail is pitiful.. and the times which a few years ago was excellent is going the same way. I subscribe to pole fishing and I do buy Match fishing both of which I think offer reasonable value for money..

Carl.

[john r]

firstly bring back the southern angler magazine that was a fantastic read giving me all the venues in the south match results and general venue advice and as for angling mags in general no longer buy the angling times after 30 yrs of reading it because its just full of adverts and has very little in the way of venue advice in the south east and now only buy match fishing magazine as i enjoy the read each month very much regards john rhodes

[cornerstone]

Only buy the weeklies if theres a free gift on the cover.At is great if you like adverts like used tackle,or to look at page after page of anglers holding different size fish.Dont read des taylors opinionated column,so basically its keith arthur and steve ringer.Steves column seems to be going around in circles now as hes probably covered everything over the years.Needs more match coverage possibly articles by matchmen involved,and not just the winners or experts,more from the average angler.Years ago my favourite read was sid huggins[in one of the monthly mags],he used to crack me up,thats what i would like ,columns with blokes like him in making us laugh,instead of the deadly serious stuff.
cornerstone.

[droid]

Years ago my favourite read was sid huggins[in one of the monthly mags],he used to crack me up,thats what i would like ,columns with blokes like him in making us laugh,instead of the deadly serious stuff.
cornerstone.

Unfortunately many don't.
That's why the excellent David Hall's Coarse Fishing folded, to be replaced by Match Fishing (eventually).

I'm with you though, cornerstone. I want to be entertained as much as educated.

[kkingfishers]

I buy them only when my names in it which isnt often enough lol

[stevie yome]

I buy both match fishing and pole fishing magazine . I find a lot of articles of interest, but also some which just seem to be there to fill a page or two . I suppose you have to bear in mind they must plan some articles on lets say a river / pool then it can't go ahead due to flooding/ freezing So you have to have some sort of back up.
Overall matchfishing and pole fishing mags are a good read. I also buy the angling times, but as said previously the only bits of interest are the results, keith arthurs page and Steve ringers page

[Sutty]

the problem with the AT+AM is its mainly big fish orientated ive no problem with carpers,catfishers or pikers but to a matchman theres only a couple of pages to browse through (match results in your area)and you can get them on the internet,most of the match articles are yesterdays news and repeated every year they put andy findlay+tom pickering in and its all preston this preston that.i prefer sites like these then at least your talking to anglers who want to talk about angling and not needing to plug tackle

[Mark bettsy]

i do buy the odd mag every now and then, but tbh... having the tinterweb to research and look for info has virtually killed my puplication buying... :-(

[D N W]

I tend to buy them so i have something to read in the bog , i don't think the web site will ever take there place because the mrs won't allow me to take the lap top in the toilet for some reason.