My thoughts.

We're in a recession, and so the shrinking of F/SF short stories in a magazine format is naturally going to accelerate. Less revenue from ads, less revenue from subscribers, less revenue from fewer bookstores carrying the magazines.  I'd have to look at a Locus poll to statistically check, but I suspect that there is a graying of readers of these magazines. They don't get many new readers. 

My reading dollar is precious, and I would rather buy a few anthologies (including some best of) a year, rather than a subscription where an individual issue of Asimov's or The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction's value may not be high.

Posted by Paul on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 7:27 AM

Asimov's and Analog alos changed their format (larger size, fewer pages = less stuff). Paper prices are up. Ad revenue is down.

Maybe if they had all pushed more for the electronic format?

I don't think SF is dying; nor do I think short stuff is dying (why else would we be able to support multiple "best of" anthologies each year?). Things are shifting...

Posted by Fred Kiesche on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 7:56 AM

I'm not sure this gives any legitimate fuel to the argument that either sci fi or short fiction is dying.  In fact I see it as a sign that the opposite is true if these publications are looking for ways to publish more economically rather than just folding up.  That shows me a true commitment to what they are doing which should be encouraging in the long run.  So many businesses are completely folding right now, it is great seeing people willing to make sacrifices but still stand up and fight.

Posted by Carl V. on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 8:28 AM

Why is it always doom and gloom about  "SF is dying" especially short fiction and SF mags?  I think Carl V is right on.  This is a good sign.  Fantasy & Science Fiction are taking steps to adapt and remain viable in what is always a changing market.  We've seen the print mags come and go over the years and I think we'll continue to see that.  It's business.  Not every one will succeed, and some will morph into online only versions or will change schedules or formats etc.

There are still many SF/F/H mags out there.  I've got 28 print magazines listed on my site:  http://www.worldswithoutend.com/resources_magazines.asp  That's not including eZines and I'm sure there are many others I've missed as well.  That's a pretty fair amount of hard copy short fiction.  Will they all last as long as Asimov's?  Probably not, but there will be others that will spring up in their place.  I'll start to worry when the numbers drop and nothing new appears to fill the voids.

Posted by Dave on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Print publications are dying not SF.

Posted by EG on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 1:41 PM

Magazine publications are dying.  I do not see any sign of the demise of books just yet.  They do not need backups, power sources, compatible code and most important of all, there is nothing worse (at least nothing I could print here) than trying to read a novel sized project on a computer screen. 

An ongoing problem is publishing material people want to read.  In a shrinking economy with less disposable income, folks are going to become even more picky about their reading habits.  And I've always argued that in order for a subscriber to remain a subscriber, it is important (vital really) that each issue of a magazine contain at least fifty percent fiction content that the Reader/Customer likes. 

Once you fall below 50% per issue, the Reader starts to wonder why they are spending the money, EVEN if they are a writer themselves. 

Frankly, I do not see what the solution is.  The small print markets in the US seem hellbent on a strategy wherein they become acceptable to the American Literary Mainstream.  The problem is that most recreational readers are not reading the Literary Mainstream, especially the recreational science fiction reader.  They are reading manga, graphic novels, media based material and the like. 

We need to find a way to have stories that broaden our appeal, rather than compress/narrow it.  So long as we aspire only to win the admiration and kudos of fellow writers in the genre (which is another part of the problem) the worse this situation is going to get. 

For the record, I have no personal or professional issue with Gordon Van Gelder.  I did have a subscription but GVG tends to run more Fantasy than SF.  I'm not a Fantasy fan and so through no foul of his own, he lost me due to content.  He does have Fantasy customers to maintain and I respect that. 

Respects,

Steven Francis Murphy

On the Outer Marches

Posted by S. F. Murphy on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 6:51 PM

I agree. It's just print publications are dying. They will just move online because publishing in electronic format is easier and cheaper.

Posted by E_I on Sunday January 04, 2009 at 8:18 PM

I'm OK with the change b/c I have a hard time keeping up with the monthly schedule with all of the other things I have going on. I think I'm 3-4 issues behind as it is.

Their situation might improve if they at least had an online-only option. Virtually zero distribution costs (no postage, anyway) and it opens the magazine to people who are moving away from pure-print zines who might want to use their iPhone or Kindle to read the content.

Posted by Scott Marlowe on Monday January 05, 2009 at 11:12 AM