Playing out the string

I actually thought my subscription to Mediaweek had ended, but yesterday, the February 8 issue arrived.

Frequent readers might recall my multi-year struggle to get Mediaweek delivered. Despite calls to the parent company (Nielsen), complaints to the delivery service and blog posts about the company’s inability to deliver a weekly magazine on even a monthly basis, the situation has never improved.

When Mediaweek started trying to renew my subscription at $299, I just laughed and recycled every renewal effort without opening any of them.

This is too bad, as I like much of what Mediaweek offers editorially. I also appreciate the clarity and perspective of the magazine’s television editor, Marc Berman. But in 2009 the magazine was delivered only 28 times, with just 10 issues coming in the second half. Who in their right mind would pay $3 (and now $6) a week for that kind of service?

Before this week, the last issue I received was dated December 7. Although the magazine continued to send me renewal notices, I assumed that my subscription had lapsed. I was wrong; my two-year subscription ends with the March 10 issue. Of course, with Mediaweek delivery now on an every-two-month cycle, maybe it actually has lapsed.

About Brian O'Leary

Founder and principal of Magellan Media Consulting, Brian O’Leary helps enterprises with media and publishing components capitalize on the power of content. A veteran of more than 30 years in the publishing industry and a prolific content producer himself, Brian leverages the breadth and depth of his experience to deliver innovative content solutions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *