The right thing to do
What does it mean to be a magazine of alternative culture in a time when alternative culture has become a mainstream concept? It’s a question we at This Magazine have been asking ourselves as we embarked on our latest phase of reinvention. It’s one I have been deliberating since becoming editor of the magazine early this year. And now, as we prepare to enter our 39th year, it is a question we must also ask our readers.
As many of you know, This Magazine began as a vehicle for social change in the 1960s, when subjects such as racial equality, environmental protection and the empowerment of women were still considered radical. The fact that those ideas have now been embraced by the mainstream press and by the general public represents a tremendous victory for the media revolutionaries to whom we owe our existence. But if we are to challenge readers, we must continue to challenge ourselves.
This year has been one of constant challenge and change for us. In January, we introduced a bold new design, and in July we unveiled a comprehensive online persona. If you haven’t already done so, check out our daily blog at blog.thismagazine.ca.
In recent months, we have stopped devoting each issue to a single theme, instead adopting a storytelling approach that is more responsive to current events. We will continue to cover stories that offer new insights into broad topics such as work, food and religion, but our current approach gives us the freedom to return to them more often.
We have made a commitment to publish long-format stories—articles that push the boundaries of conventional journalism—such as “Crossing the line,” Bill Reynolds’ examination of dissent and patriotism after September 11 in our last issue, and “Killer cop,” Alex Roslin’s in-depth look at police officers who abuse their spouses in this one.
Next year, we will follow up on a longstanding dream by introducing This Magazine’s fund for investigative journalism, a fund made possible by the generosity of our readers. It will give us the resources to take on several investigative stories each year.
And so, as we redefine our position in the magazine marketplace, it makes sense that we seek input from our readers once again. Please take a moment to visit us online at www.thismagazine.ca and fill out our reader survey. What brings you back to This Magazine issue after issue? What would you like to see us do differently? What makes us different from the other magazines you read?
If there is one thing that sets us apart, it is our connection to our readers, many of whom are supporters as well as subscribers. We do not take direction from advertisers or owners, but we are indebted to readers in a way that few other magazines are.
What does it mean to be a magazine of alternative culture in today’s media environment? We think it means challenging what you’ve come to expect from today’s media. And we hope you’ll agree.
Patricia D’Souza editor@thismagazine.ca
