Why “Outside” mag sucks
Notice how mainstream media hardly ever…I’d say NEVER…participates freely online. It would help their cred of course. But they ain’t interested in that. It’s $$$ they want and they’re willing to walk any fine line to get it. The candor required for cred online is simply NOT DOABLE for mediatrons. I’ve seen this issue come up in LOTS of NG’s and NEVER ONCE have I seen a mainstreamer reply or deal with the situation. (Whew! Rant off.)
Outside isn’t interested in readers per se. They’re doing the Vogue thing. It’s a fantasy mag. Which is fine. People flip thru it to get a certain feel. The huge ad bulk doesn’t put people off really. People GLEAN as they flip.
Every couple issues Outside throws its weight behind a big writing talent and produces a fine piece. But the rest of the time they’re perforce in thrall to their advertisers. Also to the required fantasy psyche. I presume that their readers would RESENT any downscaling. Blonde heliskiers are what they want!
There are only a couple big, real mags out there that go NO ADS. And only ONE pertaining to outdoor sports: “Bike Culture Quarterly”. If you want to read insightful, critical writing on the real world san fantasy, check it out. It costs more. It’s full on art and quality front to back. But you probably haven’t heard of it. Too bad. They have a nice website, too. It’s a global mag. (‘High Country News’ is fine…if enviro ‘issues’ are your only bag. The Zephyr is also a good’un. But both are westy.)
Then there’s my little mag! Outside has put several feelers out over the years about doing an article about OYB & outdoor sport ZINES, but hasn’t pulled thru. Too fragile of a situation? Fear mass exodus? Can’t really believe that. But the subject hasn’t passed vetting yet.
Actually, given the remarks on Outside and Backpacker…I’d say the scene is RIPE for an alternative. Or maybe this is just how media MATURES? Where is the alternative Vogue? All the small pop-culture mags do their best to simply COPY the big ones. **Remember Mariah and Mountain Gazette anyone?** Can we go home again or not?
Anyway, I’ve been spoofing and outdoing Outside with my zine OYB for years now. #7 had a great spoof of their sub-dunning order forms. I also have last couple issues online. My mag is like Utne Reader with an outdoor bent. I find the best outdoor stories out there and reprint them. I also get a bunch of great new stuff that could never be published anywhere else coz they’re too good. No equipment, no fantasy, no famous writer name: no hope. All my stories offer is just plain folks writing their best about their nutsy stuff. I also include quite a bit on ‘Adventure Anonymous’—people questioning why they got sucked into certain activities for the ‘fun’ of it; now they’re wondering if all that ‘experience’ was just another form of shopping and killing time being entertained, all while they thought they were superior for not being couchpotatoes, etc. Ouch! Check it out!
I like snowmobiles and sexism and bikin’ and XC ski….all in moderation! It’s all in how you write about it, deal with it, etc. Everything has its place. PC does its best to wreck what corpotronism and litigiousness can’t kill off. But none of it stands a chance against just plain folk.
