ATS Magazine

I think there's a thread on this already, but its almost a decade old and the argument for it wasn't very strong.

I think there's a gap in the market for something like this. Magazines are still pretty big business mostly aimed at a traveling audience, especially air travel.

Ok, so e-books are becoming more popular. Then also have an e-book version. You might say that why get an e-book version of ATS, when you can just use the internet. Well, not every where has the internet yet, and the traveling market is still a strong market and argument. Plus national geographic and newscientist have websites but make a lot of money through their magazines.

Think about a version of ATS, that comes out monthly and not only has all the great type of things you love to read, but has a real visual appeal to it. The chosen conspiracy of the month pictured on the front, and the large ATS logo in the top corner.

Think of all the forums contained in ATS, imagine every month one thread is picked from each forum topic, by votes from ATS polls, which members vote for. Each conspiracy, story, or piece of writing could be overlayed on a background relating to the text, and pictures provided to supplement and visually stimulate the text.

Already it has become something special. More visually pleasing than the black background on the site, and with no personal views from other people, the text will be up for debate by the reader and the reader alone.

The threads voted in to the magazines will force the quality of all threads written on this site to new highs, as everyone would want to achieve getting their thread into the magazine.

If it really kicked off and ATS make good money, maybe the conspiracy that makes it to the front page could earn the writer a small but enticing cash prize, just as a well done. Now that WOULD increase thread quality.

You may argue that ATS may get publicity for all the wrong reasons because of something written that is damaging in one way or another. Well that's where a good editor comes in, to make sure threads submitted to the magazine are safe and won't drop ATS in it. But you can always cut it close for fun, just like the news papers.

Remember a little scandal is good. Scandal = publicity, publicity = profit.

If you say, it's impossible, there isn't any money for such a project. Well, just look at the amount of members on ATS. If every one gave just £1, $1, whatever, maybe just as a one off. Then surely that should kick off the grander scheme of things.

Just imagine, a magazine not written by journalists or columnists, but written by the very people and members of the ATS community. YOU.

You never know, it might just help open up people's eyes around the world.

That could be so cool!

There could be many things done intelligently with such a project.

POV of two parties could be published on a subject. There could be a section where there would be a revisiting of old threads.
See how conspiracies ideas have evolved overtime, which are long lasting, etc.

And new ones of course!

That isn't very practical though, considering that these are 'Discussion Boards'. It's a tad bit difficult to carry on a discussion with a magazine.

You never know, it might just help open up people's eyes around the world.

Might as well set the bar high. Go for the gusto right from the jump, by placing a couple of '240P Youtube screenshots' on the cover, that are the irrefutable proof of the shape-shifting lizard man that works for the local news station.


P.S.

More visually pleasing than the black background on the site

Mine is blue.

reply to post by DAZ21


I would definitely subscribe to that magazine.
I think it is an excellent idea.

The major issue I see is how do you guarantee you'll have enough quality contact when all of your submissions are volunteer-based?

reply to post by Gazrok


There's always quality on this site.

Originally posted by DAZ21
reply to post by Gazrok

 

There's always quality on this site.

Greetings:

Agreed.

The OP is not that far off with his suggestion.

We were involved in a couple of magazines, The Brentwood Bla Bla) and Beverly Hills, The Magazine - that were entirely reader-written.

The content was quite good and all we did was collect stories, poems, art, etc. and edit them into a pleasing format and deliver them.

Brentwood Bla-Bla: Folksy, Pretentious

If you've missed the Brentwood Bla-Bla, the current anniversary issue is a good introduction to a community journal that is anything but ordinary.

Published every two weeks from offices on San Vicente near Barrington, Bla-Bla is a controlled-circulation magazine with a decidedly neighborhood feel, "an instrument," according to its publisher, "to be used by its readers to document the community."

Its 40,000 copies are distributed in Brentwood, Bel-Air, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Westwood.

A typical issue might include profiles of Westside bank executives, a history of the Brentwood Library, or an interview with writer Susan Block on her falling out with psychologist and radio personality Toni Grant ("Who Wrote the 'Book of Love'?"). Mini-essays by neighborhood residents on travel, restaurants, investments, real estate, fashion, beauty, entertainment and the arts are accompanied by photographs and artworks by local artists. Inevitably, there is a community calendar.

Folksy and pretentious in about equal measure, the Bla-Bla presents writing that ranges from passable to excellent--building on the Westside's mix of artists and professionals--and page layouts that alternate between amateurish and ugly. Aside from the frequently classy covers, the magazine, reflecting a commitment to a "handmade" ethic by the staff, looks like it was laid out by a not-very-talented class of third-graders.

We would be interested in assisting with a project of this sort.

Peace Love Light
tfw.

Well I thought it was a great idea. Oh well.
Maybe give my argument or make one to all members with a poll to get a veiw of interest.