10 Jul
Radiohead Effect Extends to Magazines
Sometimes it’s not who’s first, but who’s most influential. Even though others have executed it before, Radiohead’s pay-what-you-want scheme has captured people’s imaginations. I wasn’t too surprised when Saul Williams gave it a shot (with a weak help from Trent Reznor, who has also loudly proclaimed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the melody results), but my eyebrows did case up whereas a magazine — you know, an actual physical means — decided to movement the same route. Paste magazine is now offering a one-year subscription — 11 issues, including 11 music CDs — for whatever price you name, with a minimum of $1. Anyone who pays more than the regular subscription price of $19.95 gets a mention in the magazine. A nice touch: regular subscribers can too renew at this extremely flexible rate.
I should mention that this move isn’t quite similar to hardcore as it sounds. First, Paste is only doing this for a limited date. Second, magazines make greatest number of their money from advertisers, not subscriptions, in the same state they can better afford a stunt like this. Third, the offer’s only not adjusted to U.S. subscribers. Dudes, my credit card was in my hand. Now it’ll have to go back into my wallet, unfulfilled.
