It’s a Time Shame

My long-time readers might remember that I’ve been reading Time magazine for over 25 years. Most of that time (if not all of it) I’ve been a subscriber. It’s an outstanding magazine, especially if you have the lifestyle of a controller, where you can’t catch the news every night at 6PM.

I recently bought an iPad and a friend told me that Time had a great ap for the iPad. I spent today reading the latest issue on my iPad and my friend was right -- the ap is well done.

I’d love to let you read the story I was reading, but Time has decided to hide all but the first few paragraphs of their stories behind the pay wall. That’s a shame. Because I can tell you about them but you can’t read them. And they really are worth reading.

The one in this issue was about how the military is being slowly segregated into their own society -- apart from the one they are sworn to defend. Great story. You can read mine for free. Theirs is much better -- better researched, investigated and written. It is much surer of itself than mine. I’ve got a bad feeling. They got actual reporting. But a lot of good it will do you if you can’t read it.

It’s like their graphics in last week’s issue. It blew away the myth that less regulations make for a better business environment. Great stuff to go along with Fareed Zakaria’s piece and the great work done by Rana Foroohar. But you’ll never get the insight the graphics provided because you can’t see them.

Well, unless you go to the public library and read them. Or maybe you can read a copy at your next dentist appointment. That business model worked for a lot a years -- a few bought the magazines and a lot of people got to read them. And as far as the advertisers are concerned -- the more the merrier. Subscription holders or not. It’s a shame Time can’t figure out how to make that business model work in the digital age.

Don Brown
November 14, 2011