Double Gun Journal -Sad News

[Phil Yearout]

I once took a job as the advertising manager for a small local magazine. The publisher told me, “you don’t make money from subscriptions, you make money from advertising.” I found it to be a “chicken/egg” sort of thing: it’s hard to sell advertising when you don’t have circulation/readers data to show potential advertisers. I became more of a circulation manager trying to increase readership, and that didn’t align with the publisher’s philosophy so I moved on. The magazine was a nice idea but it folded after a few issues. The Cotes were operating in a very narrow niche market, and while I expect their advertising revenue was fairly constant, I’d guess that increasing that revenue and the circulation revenue to keep ahead of increasing costs was difficult. JMO.

[William Woods]

Originally Posted by Richard Flanders

I can only surmise that the only reason a publication of that quality would go out of business is because the market just won't support it adequately any longer. THAT is what I find discouraging about the situation. Black guns, semi auto's and 870's are taking over the world apparently. It's us buyers that are going extinct.

Richard,

I actually had my 870's, 1100's, and black gun before I had a Parker. Maybe looking back to a different era is the romantic in me. Then again, maybe it was the fact that there were far fewer birds to hunt, and I had a greater appreciation for the hunt. Maybe it was the maturity of the hunter.

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by Richard Flanders

I can only surmise that the only reason a publication of that quality would go out of business is because the market just won't support it adequately any longer. THAT is what I find discouraging about the situation. Black guns, semi auto's and 870's are taking over the world apparently. It's us buyers that are going extinct.

Exactly. And our reverence for culture, tradition, craft and civilized sport is also going extinct. Hence, the sad decline of readership and close of DGJ...

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

Exactly. And our reverence for culture, tradition, craft and civilized sport is also going extinct. Hence, the sad decline of readership and close of DGJ...

Apparently, you guys didn't look at the results of this auction

Guyette & Deeter Auction

[Ed Blake]

Maybe the Cotes just wanted to retire and could not find a buyer to continue the magazine. Lots of work

[John Davis]

Originally Posted by Ed Blake

Maybe the Cotes just wanted to retire and could not find a buyer to continue the magazine. Lots of work

I suspect Ed is closest to the truth. It is the fate of every Mom and Pop business. Especially those with no generational opportunities to pass it on to.

[Dean Romig]

They have their son Josh but the job actually requires at LEAST two dedicated people to fill their shoes.





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