PC World Magazine's last-ever printed issue is on sale now

by Mark Tyson on 12 July 2013, 11:15

Tags: PC World (LON:DXNS)

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The US edition of PC World Magazine is to cease publication. The current magazine, dated August 2013, will be the last ever print issue. The company will continue to provide computer orientated news coverage on its website and through digital editions for tablets etc. PC World magazine has been in print for 30 years and will exit the printed publication market even though it still has, according to the latest figures available, nearly 340,000 paid-up subscribers.

Harry McCracken, who worked for PC World Magazine from 1994 to 2008, as both a writer and editor, has written a piece about the demise of the printed edition from his new desk at Time Magazine. McCracken headlined his article as "PC World exits print, and the era of computer magazines ends". He introduced his piece by saying it wasn't shocking news but it really is a surprise that the printed edition has lasted so long.

Most of the biggest advertisers and a large proportion of readers have moved online years ago, McCracken said, especially the tech savvy readership of computer magazines. At their peak computer magazines were huge cash cows, there were many more of them available and magazines such as Computer Shopper, stuffed with printed ads and promotional inserts (alongside buyer guides and articles), often busted beyond 1,000 pages per issue. McCracken ended his piece by saying "as much as I once loved computer magazines, I wouldn’t trade The Verge, Engadget, All Things , [snip...] and all my other favourite tech sites to get them back". He concluded that "The golden age of computer magazines was glorious, but the golden age of computer journalism is now." You can read more of his PC World 'obituary' on Time's website. Also it will no doubt be printed in the next Time Magazine on the newsstands.

Staff at PC World will not be impacted by the digital only move according to publisher IDG. Bob Carrigan, CEO of IDG Communications, said in a prepared statement that "PCWorld colleagues in the U.S. will now focus on innovative digital-first editions featuring interactive multimedia presented in high resolution."

Do any readers subscribe to printed computer or technology magazines?

The first edition of PC World, click to enlarge



HEXUS Forums :: 28 Comments

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I subscribed to Custom PC and PC Format for the trial periods but cancelled when it was up. Still get the odd Micromart to go in the bathroom to read while I dump, I guess I should move on an buy a tablet for the crapper? :)
I've still got a couple of UK “PC World” magazines in my loft including the last two issues - really wish they'd bring that back as it was a darn fine mix of business and home related articles and the writing was good. Still take a couple of magazines, but recently I “rationalised” so that I get Linux Format in paper form and Linux Magazine/Professional (UK/US names respectively) in PDF.

Anyone remember Byte? I do.
Zimano
I subscribed to Custom PC and PC Format for the trial periods but cancelled when it was up. Still get the odd Micromart to go in the bathroom to read while I dump, I guess I should move on an buy a tablet for the crapper? :)
too … much … information !!!! :o
I won't ever understand people who read on the toilet. I would assume there was something wrong with their bodies, but there seems to be many self-proclaimed bathroom readers, so maybe it isn't that uncommon. I never spend more than three or four minutes on the toilet. But anyhow…

Print is dead. Even digital print is dying. I'm guilty of browsing hardware/software reviews on the web, and then scratching my head in confusion when no video is presented with the article. Still images aren't enough anymore, especially when it's a case review. Video says a lot.

Perhaps PC World will survive if they move to streaming.
I never did get on with the telephone directory-sized magazines where you struggled to find the factual articles amongst the unwanted adverts for gear that you were never going to buy.

I did have a subscription to PC Pro for a while, but the frequently repetitive material just cost too much. Now they offer an online version, that's almost as expensive and equally unattractive.

It makes much more sense in this age of interactive content for the consumer to be able to search and select the desired content rather than being fed information that is completely irrelevant.

I, for one will not mourn the loss of PC World.
Missing PC World UK Mag alot, it helped me & fellow it geeks out many times, with well writtern pages, great reviews. I still have some around the house from 1997. I guess all good things come to an end.