Subscribers Weigh In

I have subscribed to Nevada Magazine for more than 20 years. I have not been happy with the new format and content. But the story “Into the Wild,” in the March/April 2008 issue, was a vast improvement. It was very interesting and well presented. I also enjoyed the article on historical markers in “Travel Through Time.” I am very interested in articles relating history of Nevada.
When you did some photo shoots on ghost towns in a recent issue, it would have been much more interesting to write something about the history of that town rather than concentrating on the homes and people who live there now.
One of your earliest newly formatted issues really upset me. On the “Up Front” page, you had an approximately one-inch square picture of a photo contest winner. Who could see that small of a picture? Beside it you had about a four-to-five-inch picture of Chris Rock. We all know what he looks like, but we didn’t get to see the photo contest winner in a decent size. If you continue to present interesting articles rather than photos of fancy homes and people, I might continue my subscription.
LINDA RAWLINGS
Champaign, IL

I am not happy with the recently changed format of your magazine. It seems too commercial now and no longer has that unique down-home local style. There’s very little on history anymore and no cartoon drawings to accompany articles like there used to be. On top of that I have to go on the Internet to see Letters to the Editor. The wonderful photos that you used to print are postage stamps now. I also agree with others that the font size is too small.
Nevada Magazine has lost its way, and its charm.
JOHN R. YELLS
Overton

I have been a subscriber to Nevada Magazine for many years. The “recent” change in format is horrible. Fortunately I saved a half-dozen copies from previous years to read and reread. Your new magazine takes about 10 minutes to read. A recent issue had 37 full pages of advertising and 16 pages of your useless calendar. That is well over half the magazine! Where are the show reviews? The corny stories about getting stranded in the mountains? Those have been replaced with articles about multi-million dollar homes, and many other articles are basically advertisements.
Return to the magazine that served the middle class so well. We are the ones who look for reviews, bargains in Las Vegas, off-the-path places to visit—stories about common, hard-working Nevadans. How about a survey for the all readers to comment on some of the specific changes?
JOHN WILDA
Swanton, VT

Nevada is a rugged land with a rich history, having been settled by people with a unique brand of strength and rugged individualism.
For many years I enjoyed Nevada Magazine. It was an accurate reflection of our state in so many ways. That all changed last year. The magazine became soft, no longer an accurate reflection of what Nevada means to me. At first I couldn’t put a finger on the reason for my change of attitude to one of my favorite magazines.
Then it hit me. I looked at the masthead, then at the various bylines. Nevada Magazine has become female. Even the paper on which it is printed has a soft and satiny texture. The print is smaller (petite?), with the articles and stories less reflective of our rugged heritage.
Please don’t take the foregoing the wrong way. Females by nature have a softening, smoothing influence on their surroundings. A good quality. The overabundance of this quality in your magazine, however, seems to have a diminishing effect on the once accurate reflection of what our state is, and what it means, to many of us.
Perhaps, in your wisdom, you will choose to abate the feminization of what was once an accurate portrayal of our state. Where Nevada Magazine was once wonderful, it is now merely adequate.
JIM TIGHT
Las Vegas

Dear Linda, John, John, and Jim,
We’re never happy to hear that some of our loyal readers are upset with our product. As with any change, we’re open to readers’ comments and willing to adapt as time goes on. I think many of you will find that we are making subtle changes that will agree with our longtime fans—as Linda alluded to. Linda, please visit our “Your Photo Rocks” story online for more information on Lincoln County’s Name the Rock Photo Contest.
For you history buffs, I think you will be happy with our May/June 2008 issue, which features a story on the 1908 Great Automobile Race and its route across Nevada. We also are consciously running bigger photos and captions. As for advertising, we try to maintain a 35-to-65 ad-to-edit ratio, which is pretty reasonable for a travel publication.
We sincerely hope you will continue your support of Nevada Magazine. We appreciate your loyalty and insight.
EDITOR

To submit a letter to the editor, write to editor@nevadamagazine.com. Letters are subject to editing.

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