OK, I'll admit it. I do like the feel of a favorite magazine in my hand, the heft of it, the anticipation of settling down with a new issue in my cozy chair or bed, and the deliciousness of turning to the story that interests me most. It's a pleasure akin to having my hand poised over a new box of chocolates. Not so surprising, since I was raised on the printed word.
My grandchildren like books and get Turtle magazine, but they also beg to be brought up on their parents' laps and happily click their way to TeleTubbies, SpongeBob and the kid sites hosted by Disney, Noggin and PBS. So it occurs to me -- when they can choose, what magazines will they read and where?
Magazine publishers today take no chances; their magazines live dual lives as print and electronic media, except for the few that were born on the Web. Despite predictions, it's still anybody's guess how magazines of the future -- if we still have them -- will come to their audiences.
The lure of the Web is powerful. Says National Journal's media critic William Powers, "The practical advantages of digital technology, lower costs, wider reach, instant delivery, and fewer environmental consequences are inarguable."
Yet he reminds us that paper is the most successful communications innovation of the last 2,000 years, the one that has lasted the longest and had the profoundest effect on civilization. While it may appear passive and "dumb," a kind of one-trick technology, still he says that "there are cognitive, cultural and social dimensions to the human-paper dynamic that come into play every time any kind of paper, from a tiny Post-it note to a groaning Sunday newspaper, is used to convey, retrieve or store information. Paper does these jobs in a way that pleases us, which is why, for centuries, we have liked having it around."
Which brings me to how these issues impact SJSU Washington Square. Our new president Jon Whitmore is stressing sustainability as a goal for the university, and urging us, as a campus, to leave a lighter carbon footprint. At WSQ, we want to do our part. Then too, we are in a changed economy. Given the national recession and the ongoing crises of California's state budgets, we must be vigilant stewards of state dollars and be prepared to do more with less.
So why not go to an electronic format exclusively? Because we think the print version continues to please a significant number of you. In short, we think the dual life is the way to go for now. But beginning with the summer issue, we'll begin to limit the number of magazines we print.
It wasn't an easy decision. We're proud of our longtime record of sending the magazine to all addressable alumni, currently some 180,000 of you. As you may know, some universities only send their magazine to donors and alumni association members. Our thinking, as we weigh budget constraints against our communications goals, is to cast the broadest net possible, including all of you who are engaged with the university or who would like to be engaged. We'll also continue to send WSQ to new graduates, to introduce them to the magazine and to encourage their continuing connection to San José State.
At the same time, we are expanding our online presence. WSQ now has a page on Facebook; you can find us there by searching for SJSU Washington Square. You can become a fan, post messages on the wall and initiate conversations on the discussion board. We are also looking forward to featuring audio and video content on our new Facebook page and the WSQ site; check the fun video of Beach Blanket Babylon.
Whether in print or pixels, our goal is to bring you the news and stories of San José State, to make the time you spend with us worthwhile. We'd be interested in your thoughts on the print/electronic balance. Chime in on Facebook or e-mail me.
Sylvia Light, Editor
Read Washington Square Spring 2009.
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