Twice-yearly Inroads magazine becomes quarterly by publishing two issues online

Inroads magazine, the Canadian journal of opinion, a twice-a year publication, has become a quarterly by publishing two issues online and via e-mail only. In March, the magazine published a 34-page pdf issue between its winter (November) and summer (May) print issues (current issue out now). The next "virtual" issue will be out in September.

Last year, as part of market research carried out with a grant from the Canada Magazine Fund, Inroads conducted a focus group. The focus group participants were all gratifyingly enthusiastic about Inroads -- so much so, in fact, that they felt it should be a quarterly. This electronic newsletter implements the focus group’s recommendation –- in a manner in keeping with our modest means.

This is an interesting model for niche magazines that have limited funding and we may see more and more of this in the near future, particularly as postal costs are expected to go up substantially to the detriment of small magazines with widely scattered subscribers across Canada.

The magazine, run by an editorial board, and helmed by managing editor Robert Chodos, was launched in 1992 to be a voice for opinion on economic, political and social issues. In its inaugural issue it said:

Too much writing in Canada is not genuinely interested in pursuing opposing ideas. Academic journals restrict themselves to their respective disciplines and impose their own set of intellectual blinders. Too many political and social journals limit their pages to writers who share a narrow ideological line.

It's $14.95 a single copy or $48 for four issues (two years). Plus the "virtual issues". (And, this past weekend, you may have noticed that the magazine column in the Globe and Mail took note of it.)