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FSM subscription changes


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I just got my subscription renewal notice and just before I clicked the payment option, noted it's now only 6 ISSUES!! It used to be 8-9 (?). Needless to say, I declined to continue. I hate to be part of the problem, but I've not been impressed with the content lately, so this kind of makes the decision for me. 

 

-Jeff

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Decades ago I subscribed to FSM.  I know it is me but I am an aircraft modeler.  FSM tries to appeal to a wide audience of readers so that they have a variety of articles, aircraft, armor cars, sci-fi, etc in each issue.  In 5 minutes i would be done reading the aircraft article, the rest had no interest.  Thats why I like ARC!

 

Geoff M

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I'll jump into the discussion, since it's near and dear to my heart. Printing costs have gone through the roof. They dropped to six printed issues, but on the "off" months there is a digital copy with new content, so you're actually getting more than before.

 

FSM has always been a multi-content magazine. Autos are the new thing, since Scale Auto got dropped. Most modelers outgrow FSM as they get better, as FSM is for the beginner/intermediate, not necessarily the advanced builder. With that said, I find the content to be quite good, even if it's not in my genre. I've learned new techniques, and have even started building in different genres. Heck, I even sent in an article on building Squad 51 from Emergency!. It looks nothing like a Tomcat! I appreciate a well built model, no matter the subject. In addition, they can only print what gets sent to them. 

 

With that said, FSM will go away because every magazine will eventually go away. SAMI (or is it SAM? I never knew which was which) is now gone, and that was dedicated specifically to aircraft. You'll see more and more magazines going away. That's the reality of the digital world we live in. I personally love getting each new issue in the mail. It's like a small Christmas gift every other month.

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45 minutes ago, Darren Roberts said:

In addition, they can only print what gets sent to them.

And there's the hobby press punchline.

Plus, what is sent has to be of publishable quality.

That takes work, actual work.

And it looks like more and more people are now applying that work to material for online venues where they can publish without a middleman.

Edited by southwestforests
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13 hours ago, southwestforests said:

And there's the hobby press punchline.

Plus, what is sent has to be of publishable quality.

That takes work, actual work.

And it looks like more and more people are now applying that work to material for online venues where they can publish without a middleman.

As they used to say on the Tonight Show...You are correct, sir!

 

It's not unlike what's happening in the music industry. No longer do you need a label to get your music out to the general public. Some good social media exposure and you're on your way. I know it's not that simple, but it's getting there. If some kid can become a millionair for shilling toys, anything is possible.

Edited by Darren Roberts
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When I started building models on my own without assistance from anyone else, I had a simple set of tools in a old kit box. A nail clippers, one hobby knife with non changeable blade, a couple clothes pins pilfered from the laundry and a white Testors bell bottom paint brush. Over time the tool kit grew and FSM was part of the expansion. Eventually it too got replaced with newer, better, more capable tools. It’s the way of life. The magazine could have adopted too, moving its content along with its subscribers as they grew in age and skills. But they seem to always go back to basics and only touched briefly on advanced techniques.  I would have liked to have seen the short new kit reviews expanded into full build articles and get into the meat of the subject. Lots of times I just felt shorted by the content. The magazine as a whole just seemed like a micro commercial for the hobby in general. “Join up, and see the world of scale modeling!”  We had to travel on our own, but the internet came along and we were off. Everything we found in FSM we found in increased quantity in other venues. Fewer issues is not reversing that. 
 

Rick L. 

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On 5/26/2022 at 7:03 PM, Darren Roberts said:

I'll jump into the discussion, since it's near and dear to my heart. Printing costs have gone through the roof. They dropped to six printed issues, but on the "off" months there is a digital copy with new content, so you're actually getting more than before.

 

FSM has always been a multi-content magazine. Autos are the new thing, since Scale Auto got dropped. Most modelers outgrow FSM as they get better, as FSM is for the beginner/intermediate, not necessarily the advanced builder. With that said, I find the content to be quite good, even if it's not in my genre. I've learned new techniques, and have even started building in different genres. Heck, I even sent in an article on building Squad 51 from Emergency!. It looks nothing like a Tomcat! I appreciate a well built model, no matter the subject. In addition, they can only print what gets sent to them. 

 

With that said, FSM will go away because every magazine will eventually go away. SAMI (or is it SAM? I never knew which was which) is now gone, and that was dedicated specifically to aircraft. You'll see more and more magazines going away. That's the reality of the digital world we live in. I personally love getting each new issue in the mail. It's like a small Christmas gift every other month.

 

Hey Darren, where'd you hear about SAMI? I get subscriptions to "Scale Aviation Modeller International" and their sister mag "Model Aircraft". I haven't seen a new issue of "Model Aircraft" since December.

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I did receive an issue of SAMI roughly 2 weeks ago. It is the next issue (03 I recall) after the February SAMI but interestingly, there was not a month designated on the cover. My guess is that this was to cover the big gap in issues.  I have not received any MA issues since February.

Have fun modeling

Mike

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