Because I have a fair amount of free time on my hands these days (business is not that good in these parts), I’ve been thinking about starting a new project. My blog has evolved over the last year or so into a men’s rights blog, which reflects my own personal journey over the same period. My readership, although far from stratospheric, has increased substantially, and I have seen significant growth in other blogs with a similar focus — not only are there more men’s rights blogs; there are more people reading them as well. I can even see changes in comments on newspaper articles, where men (and even some fair-minded women) are voicing their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in ever greater numbers.
As encouraging as it is to see men’s rights blogs proliferating across the internet, I find that we are missing an editorial hub for disseminating some of the important and intellectually stimulating content out there. I’ve looked around for men’s magazines, and haven’t been too impressed with what I’ve found. In a brief survey of Google results for “online men’s magazines” one can find AskMen.com, Bullz-Eye.com, Maxim and “trendpimp.” For the most part, these publications appear to focus on cars, sports and scantily clad young women. In short, they are aiming for a rather juvenile audience, and rarely broach the subect of men’s issues in a context broader than, say, the local pickup bar. Not that this kind of thing doesn’t have its place, but it reveals a gaping hole in the market that is yearning to be filled with a higher level of discourse.
Importantly, the time has come where people wouldn’t laugh at the idea that men ought to have their own publications dedicated to their own issues. Women have had these since at least the 1950s, and they have only grown to the point where most publications have sections that address women’s concerns. In fact, the attention paid to women’s concerns has become so dominant and pervasive that it often seems that the typical publication, if it addresses gender at all, does so solely from a female point of view.
So, to get to the point, I’m open to building an online publication for men. Technically speaking, it wouldn’t be that hard for me. I know how to set one up, and I can host it. I could cover design and structure, and the overhead would be minimal. This is something I’d enjoy doing, and I think it has the potential to become an influential voice in the growing men’s movement.
However, it isn’t something I can do alone. I can’t write enough to sustain a publication on my own, and I don’t have the time or knowledge to set up the business structure. For an online publication to be well-managed, there needs to be a team that includes writers, tech support, at least one editor, someone to handle marketing and a business manager. But this isn’t to say that it needs to be that complicated — most people could probably double as both writer and some other task. For example, I’d be happy to both write and contribute tech support.
Anyway, this is an idea I thought I should throw out there. Nothing’s certain, but it is an idea whose time has come, and I would like to help make this happen.
I’d really appreciate any feedback on this post — I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has had a similar idea or who has any suggestions. I’d also like to hear from anyone who sees any problems with it, or thinks I have left out some important details.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Ovid // Jul 6, 2009 at 5:38 am
Count me in,Welmer.Dont have time right now ,but I’ll get back to you later when I do.
2 Justin // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:39 am
Capital idea! Are you thinking of a purely news/opinion outlet, or more of a newsletter for a men’s organization? I think the latter is more desperately needed than the former.
3 novaseeker // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:56 am
It’s a good idea.
Right now what we have are blogs and discussion forums, and it’s all very diffuse and uncoordinated. That has good aspects to it, in terms of allowing for different points of view, but it also has some bad aspects — lack of coordination, a tendency to slip into radicalism and so on.
The main obstacle would probably be getting consistent copy, in terms of articles and so on. I think you’d want to be shooting to be more consistent in quality than a typical blog, and also with more varied opinions and styles.
From the business perspective, I think this kind of thing builds slowly. You need eyeballs first before you can monetize it very well, I think. Other men’s sites, like MND for example, could be used as springboard platforms to get the initial seeding of eyes there. You want links in well-trafficked men’s sites and so on to get that initial seeding in.
In terms of keeping people there, as you can see from most of the online material, a common way to do that is to create a kind of community by allowing participation by the readers in commenting. This can draw people back to a site during the time between new articles being published — in a way that is similar to how some of the more popular blogs work. But the difference, again, is that for a magazine, you would have a more systematic thematic approach, probably a broader range of topics being addressed, and the views of more than one writer (which some blogs have as well, but which most do not).
4 Welmer // Jul 6, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Perhaps I should have explained the technical aspects of something like this a bit better.
When I think “online magazine,” I am essentially thinking of a multi-user blog with a magazine-style layout. This would have commenting as well as subscription options that could serve as a newsletter.
What I am really offering to do is create such a platform and allow contributors to post material. I think having a community of writers rather than a single blogger adds a lot of credibility. My main contribution to a communal publishing effort, besides writing, would be on the technical side of things, as I have a fair amount of experience with installing, designing and running content management systems.
As far as avoiding the pitfalls of a fragmented message, the important thing there is to have some editorial oversight. This is best exercised by someone who is a little more mature and not in emotional crisis, obviously.
What I have in mind is creating a deluxe, state-of-the art online publishing platform worth thousands of dollars on the open market for some guys who are willing to use it and make it work. I think concentrating some of the thought out there could have a multiplier effect, establishing both increased authority and readership.
5 miles // Jul 6, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I wish I had an idea.
Even if one built a large online men’s mag, getting the word out about it would be tough. Viral maketing by giving links to it on numerous online blogs and forums would be a very onerous task.
I dont think even men take the “laddie mags” like Maxim and FHM seriously. They are basically full of pictures of pretty girls with little interesting information that a young man could use to help better navigate the minefield of life. “Men’s Health” seems like a Politically Correct-kinda publication from the couple of times Ive picked it up.
I wish I had an idea to proffer, but I really dont. Inquiring young fellas who want to know about their circumstances can and will use google and whatnot to find out. They have a resource via the net that men in the 80’s and early/mid 90’s really didn’t have.
6 Welmer // Jul 6, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Miles, I think there’s some potential here. As you suggested, the idea is “getting the word out.” People are always hungry for new content. The real problem, as I see it, is that the message is too fragmented.
If you take a look at successful online publishing ventures, it’s all about establishing authority through a preponderance of desirable content.
When I look around, I see a lot of guys who are very thoughtful and have a lot to offer, but men are in many ways more difficult to bond together. Rather than seeing this as a bad thing, I actually think it indicates higher potential. In chemistry, for example, the bonds that require the most energy to create release the most upon reaction. Or, on the other hand, they are the most difficult to break.
Currently, society is creating the pressure on men that will forge these bonds. Whichever men can come together under these circumstances have a good chance of making an impression. It is the hammer and anvil that makes a strong sword, after all, just as it is the blows of life that create resolve in men.
7 Gunlingergregi // Jul 6, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Well welmer I would say rock this thing. Do the site. Make the shit ready. Maybe they will come.
Keep doing what you do now. Invite men to participate. Call it the Save the men site. Kind of after save the whales or the frogs or the children but not saving the one thing that would make a huge difference.
8 Welmer // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I’d like to do it, Gun, but there’s kind of a short window of opportunity here, and I don’t know if it would be worth it without contributors. I need more work — and soon. Once I get it, I’m afraid that between the kids and making money I won’t have time for much.
9 MASCULINIST // Jul 7, 2009 at 4:29 am
Great idea Welmer – if you create this website I’ll gladly contribute to it in terms of writing as well as editing.
A few naming suggestions – “Masculinism,” “Masculinist,” or “The Masculinist”
There are more than enough writers/thinkers on the web who care about male rights to create a successful publication. You are exactly right when you say that a central gathering spot for these people is needed in order to further the cause of male rights.
10 lighton // Jul 7, 2009 at 2:20 pm
“A few naming suggestions – “Masculinism,” “Masculinist,” or “The Masculinist”
I agree that the magazine thing is a good idea.
But these suggested names just seem/sound kind of gay.
These days, any sort of non trivial male bonding/grouping automatically gets labeled as a loser and/or gay organization. It’s one of the mainstream anti-male feminist orthodoxy’s methods of subjecting regular males.
11 Dan // Jul 9, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Not to rain on parades, but between Esquire and MND, I’m pretty much covered in the men’s magazine section. Besides, isn’t one of man’s positive characteristics the fact that he doesn’t have to look in a magazine before doing something?
12 Lukobe // Jul 10, 2009 at 12:01 am
Esquire? Seriously?
13 MKS // Jul 16, 2009 at 6:57 am
You should check out the Art of Manliness Blog… Similar idea to what you are talking about with a large (and quite active) community attached to the blog
14 Lupo // Jul 18, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I’d write for such a thing. Could be profitable too. I spend part of my time optimizing online ads, and we are an underserved demographic.
15 Eman // Aug 14, 2009 at 5:19 am
More on starting a pro-male online magazine @ http://thebetarevolution.blogspot.com/2009/08/in-mala-fides-manifesto.html?showComment=1250252128250#c465403346160713965
Leave a Comment