September 7, 2000
Flipping through the magazines - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- The area surrounding my desk is full of stuff. From boxes of school stuff, that I haven’t thought of where to store yet and newspapers I’ve finished reading but refuse to throw out - there’s a ton of stuff. Letters, I haven’t filed away yet and books I’ve raided from my bookshelf, but don’t feel like putting away.
Recently, after putting up one of these space saving contraptions for my magazines, I proceeded to gather up the dozen or so magazines lying in and around the vicinity of my desk for over the last month or so. There were at least 8 TV Week’s, which I buy every single week for some absurd reason. There were a couple issues of Talk, which is a most interesting magazine with equally interesting stories from celebrity profiles to political dissections. There was the latest George, which I bought on a recent visit to the airport. There was the latest Maclean’s which was pretty boring, thus is being sent to my room forthwith. There are a couple TV Guide’s I bought, which I haven’t read, but stupidly bought because they had an interesting cover. There are a couple Prime Time’s, which is the Pay-TV channels listing guide, as well as about 6 issues of Saturday Night, which is a terrific mag for photo enthusiasts. The two issues of The New Yorker are interesting reads, that I’ll get to... not soon enough, that’s for sure.
There were a sprinkling of other magazines - business ones, sport fishing ones, fashion ones - that I haven’t looked at, but could be of use to me in the future, so keep them. (At least I don’t think I’m Irish?)
Magazines are a phenomenon in the print business. Newspapers, at least the major ones - The Globe and Mail, National Post, New York Times - all insert them from week to week, not only to boost readership, but to add another forum for advertising. I like them because you can take them with you if you’re going on a car trip, or sit with them at a given place if you’re waiting for someone.
One of the magazines that has really lost much of its luster in recent years has been Time. Especially in this country, because of Shelia Copps’ split-run fracas, we have our own Time Canada which sincerely pales in comparison to the American version. Newsweek, which remains fully American, (and if I am not mistaken a part of The Washington Post group,) is the top draw when it comes to current affairs. George, the late John Kennedy’s pet project is actually quite readable. In that recently picked up copy of mine, there’s an outstanding guide to the political conventions, as well as excellent profiles of both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy.
As I schlepped the glossy mags to the room, it was a funny thought at how much money I’ve spent. I blew a ton on a bunch of crap that I probably won’t ever look at again. You take that amount and join that when I was a wrestling fan and bought every conceivable magazine... ah the frailties of youth. It took a clean up job to figure that one out. All of a sudden I feel a hell of a lot older.
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