Print’s Dying? No One Told This WV Magazine Company | @MirageMagazine

written by Kayse Ellis, Mirage Magazine

Kayse Ellis, a member of Mirage Magazine, reflects on the organization’s experience at New South Media, Co. and the future of the print industry.

Every aspiring journalist has eventually faced the doomed, “Print is dead,” conversation with their parents or professors. It goes something like, “Good luck trying to make a living. Try to wear as many hats as possible, so you can actually get employed.” This kind of negative attitude toward print pushes everyone toward digital, making them believe print publications, especially the magazine industry, is a lost cause. Yet, there’s a publication churning out about 100 issues a year, and they’re located right here in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Mirage Magazine visiting with New South Media. Photo: Joseph Lucey/Mirage Magazine

If I hadn’t interned with New South Media Co. the summer of 2019, I wouldn’t have known such a thing was able to exist in a hyper-digital world like this, let alone in the Mountain State. And as a magazine-enthusiast, I was thrilled that an opportunity like this was just down the street. I wondered if everyone else in the Reed College of Media knew about this? With the lack of magazine-focused classes available in the journalism curriculum, I thought Mirage Magazine would really benefit from meeting the company’s founder, Nikki Bowman Mills.

Bowman Mills founded New South Media Co. with the first issue of WV Living coming out in 2008. Since then, the company has grown to create more than five magazine publications annually. You might have seen their issues around town, like Morgantown, WV Weddings and WV Living; but, they also publish U.S. Small Business Administration’s Resource Guide nationwide, and through Narrative, create custom content for clients, like cookbooks, tourism guides and promotional materials. So, how dead is print really? Members from Mirage that met with Mills focused on this question a lot.

While digital wasn’t the biggest concern for Bowman Mills when coming out of college, the concern of becoming a successful writer aligned similarly with ours today. She had always been told that there were no opportunities in West Virginia, so moving out had always been her goal. But, after graduate school and working as an editor for different publications in Chicago and Mississippi, Bowman Mills believed there was a market for magazines in West Virginia.

Twelve years later, her aspirations haven’t failed. Even after publications like Lucky and Nylon folded to online-only platforms, New South Media has been able to maintain printing issues. Creating content for web and social media have been a beast to tackle, yet Bowman Mills believes the satisfaction of a tangible magazine with quality paper will have a place in journalism. Although, she is not naive to the times. She understands the power digital has, but with the right mix of content and good advertising, a print magazine can survive.

Bowman Mills believes that her success has come from having a clear purpose and audience. During our conversation, she recognized that it could be due to lack of technological advancements in the state, but that regional magazines seem to have better success because of their localism. If the content encourages action among the niche audience, then revenue will follow (of course reliable advertising is also important). It makes sense that Nylon would fold– who can find a Prada bag in rural West Virginia?

So, if you’re having doubts about print writing, have some faith! It’s a competitive industry, but good, smart writing is key. Writing with a particular audience in mind, and, as Bowman Mills advised, being able to recognize what makes a story great are important assets to good writing. If you’re asking yourself, “What should I be doing from now until I graduate?” go out and buy your favorite magazines. Underline and understand what makes the stories you love great stories. And, if you want to continue working on your magazine-writing skills, join Mirage Magazine and explore the topics you don’t get to regularly write about in class.

Top image: Joseph Lucey/Mirage Magazine