Around Cultural Periodicals
The constant crisis of our cultural periodical market is deepening. In the first half of 2003 many magazines have practically been suspended, publishing joint editions instead of two or three individual monthly issues in an attempt to fake continuity. Several journals ceased to function; others limited the frequency of appearance. Reason? No money, obviously. This is hardly surprising; financial difficulties of cultural journals have for years been perceived as “only natural”. However, among the publications facing these problems were seemingly well-off, popular and financially independent magazines. Arkusz, a literary and artistic monthly from Poznań, ceased to exist; Res Publica Nowa, published by Polityka, has modified its formula into that of a quarterly. The end of the previous century has brought the decline of weekly magazines; does the new century begin with a decline of monthlies? Or has editing, publishing and reading cultural periodicals gone out of vogue? Maybe so; but it seems puzzling, then, that in the last two years the number of periodicals registered in the Witryna.Czasopism.pl catalogue increased by over 100 titles plus a number of ephemeral magazines.
Changes
It is not an unimportant remark that magazines discussed here do not deal only with literature. Being often associated with literary matters, they nevertheless concern all branches of art and diverse social issues. The distinguishing factor should rather be a high intellectual level combined with a relatively noncommercial approach. Cultural periodicals should combine critical texts or analyses with presenting artistic works and cultural phenomena.
Magazines which adopt this formula are often perceived as “niche” magazines. However, a cultural periodical cannot be a niche publication; its publishers do not look for vacant market segments nor cater to the readers’ expectations. The cultural magazine strives to shape intellectual tastes. But this approach is possible only if the publisher’s motivation goes beyond financial matters. The intention to shape public beliefs places the cultural periodical somewhere between the media corporation and the ecucational activist of the former era.
A major change has taken place during the 1990s. There was no deceiving oneself any longer about the competitiveness of cultural magazines on the publishing market (as illustrated by the cases of Arkusz and Res Publica Nova). Merciless rules of economy, the devastating policy of local governments and the indifference of the Ministry of Culture have turned cultural magazines into private initiatives.
Privatisation and Culture
The catalogue of Polish cultural journals at Witryna Czasopism.pl contains over 400 titles, of which around 250 appear in print; this number is unprecedented in Europe. From the economical point of view this number is perhaps too large - many of these magazines are struggling to survive, with varying results - but if Poles prefer to participate in public life and culture in this way, should it be hindered? It would seem reasonable to create an environment which would faciliate these initiatives. This solution might limit the growing population of semi-illiterate citizens whose views are defined by school and TV. If we look at things from this point of view, the problem is not in the abundance of magazines but in the lack of readers, or in the fact that publishers cannot reach them or – as it sometimes happens – are not motivated enough to try.
However, to believe that creative solutions are going to be implemented by the authorities would be wishful thinking. For years the policy towards cultural publishers - no good as political supporters – has been one of the so-called wild privatisation. This privatisation is based not on finding sponsors for magazines, but shifting the exclusive responsibility for the magazine’s functioning on the publisher or editor; informing that no funds are available and the existence of a magazine is the editor's private affair. This mantra is being offered with the intention of ascribing the periodicals' disappearance to the inanimate laws of the market. In fact, however, unfavourable economic conditions and the leaky budget serve rather as a pretext for doing nothing. As a result, initiatives in this field are financed chiefly from the grant programs of foundations, private sponsorship and, sometimes, individual donations. The stasis of national culture-supporting institutions has reached the level of absurd.
Funding – for whom?
Directly from the state budget – perhaps for nobody. Of course the government should not be denied the right to lead a cultural policy by financing selected undertakings, but in the current situation supporting magazines is outside the scope of any political interests, which was evident after this year’s Ministry of Culture grants have been distributed. It would be, then, most profitable for everyone if the chain of relations, with state or local administration as an obligatory intermediary, was shortened and funds went straight from the citizens to magazine publishers. I hope it is clear by now that market mechanisms should not be the only thing to govern the fate of cultural periodicals. One of the solutions which come to my mind might be to issue grants for the subscription of cultural magazines for school and public libraries (instead of financing the magazines).
A long-term goal is to create a system which would combine public funds, non—governmental organization funds and those of private or commercial sponsors. This system should incorporate an efficient cooperation of non-governmental organizations, which have proven efficient as far as grantmaking goes, with state agendas. Even more importantly, the readers’ participation in financing magazines is crucial. This could be achieved by promoting the tax percentage transfer for cultural purposes and the subscription of magazines, which would minimalise the costs of returns - the average returns of a cultural magazine with public distribution amount to 50%! Finally, a crucial goal is to lower the cost of reaching the public by means of the Internet.
On the Web
The Internet guarantees the survival of cultural periodicals struggling with financial problems. Magazines unable to sustain without grants will probably move to the Web. Many journals showcased in the catalogue of Witryna Czasopism.pl are already producing Internet versions or even appear exclusively on the Internet (about 130 of 400). Nevertheless, it is difficult to appraise the possible decline of printed periodicals – for many readers, such as those without access to the Internet, this would mean limiting the cultural offer. On the other hand, the Internet provides a way to reach new readers, among them those who would not otherwise reach for such publications at all. This is caused not only by a shift of generations and their reception of cultural content, but also by geographical factors – in small communities, it is much easier connect to the Internet by a dialup connection than acquire a selection of ambitious periodicals from a local store. Additionally, Internet publishing enables readers abroad to access cultural periodicals.
The costs of print and paper still constitute top positions in the magazine budget. Publishers face the high costs of the distribution system, its low effectiveness and insufficient funding for advertising and promotion. The presently acquirable grants could be profitably spent on publishing a magazine on the Web. The Ministry of Culture or local governments do not, however, issue grants for publishing on the Internet, the only exception being the city council of Wrocław with the “Tin” internet weekly. Furthermore, the Internet is still viewed as less prestigious than publishing in print. Nevertheless, it seems to me that if authors of Internet publications received reasonable payment, the esteem of these publications would promptly rise.
The ideal option, as it seems, would be to use Internet to promote print versions, collect and finance subscriptions, faciliate access to archives and current issues - for free or not. All of these possibilities are available and can be applied relatively cheaply and easily from the technical point of view. In the more distant future it would also be a good idea to use the Internet and the technology of print-on-demand for printing a number of copies that matches the real number of readers.
So far, the Internet has proved to be effective as a generator of new initiatives in publishing. An inexpensive and relatively popular medium, it allows the new initiative to emerge and establish itself. Meanwhile, publishers or editors can look for financial means for print. For the already existing magazines, the Internet is a chance of acquiring additional income and widening the circle of readers. Still, the spontaneous use of the Internet for promoting high culture cannot be treated as an excuse for the lack of a sensible policy towards cultural periodicals. The system of their financing needs improvement; so far it is defective and based on unsound premises.
Cezary Konrad Kęder
Translated by Marta Malina Moraczewska