Star Trek Magazine first movie issue

[PaulSimpson]

I realise that the magazine had to change focus and essentially become an American targeted publication to survive but I really miss the old UK based magazine.

That's not what happened. We took over the worldwide English speaking licence, which allowed us to publish everywhere, rather than just the UK and Australia/New Zealand. The magazine is still based in the UK, with a British editor, designer and production team.

It's become increasingly irrellevant to me as a reader.
Paper thin and full of ads for conventions going on in California and elsewhere in the US, it really puts me off buying it.

Er, we don't run loads of ads for conventions. There isn't one at all in issue 17, and issue 18 only has one. The product advertised is stuff that can be bought over the web from wherever in the world you are.

It's nearly 10 euros here and I just can't justify that for news that's months out of date and the entire american feel to it.

But in the age of the internet, it can't be a news magazine. What print does is give the space and the picture quality that the net can't provide. I agree - we couldn't match Trekmovie.com for breaking news on the film, as much as anything else because we are licensed and official and therefore everything in the magazine goes through numerous checks and balances to make sure we're accurate. But we've printed detailed interviews with every single member of the new Enterprise Bridge crew over the past 18 months, plus Bruce Greenwood and Leonard Nimoy - from which Trekmovie.com and the other sites have been drawing their news. We've been making it, not reporting it!
I'd be interested to know what you mean by the "American" feel to it...

Paul

 

[Darren2001]

The American feel would include adopting the US magazine format which I think you have now reversed.
Also, the letters page is now full of letters from the US.
No harm in that but it does feel less and less like a UK publication.
There were definitely alot of ads that I have seen in recent issues that were US products and not neccessarily easily available to me or indeed events going on elsewhere.
Same with release dates on adverts. Often the US date is mentioned.

I believe you have started doing the 100 page issues again, probably room for more ads. Seriously, for almost 10 euros, the amount of ads to content ratio isn't the best. Non 100 pagers are seriously thin for that kind of money.

I'm happy that the magazine survived the dark days between Enterprise cancellation and the movie but I feel the US marketing push has diluted the magazine.

Probably not the right place for me to discuss all this but when I saw someone from the magazine, had to make my feelings known.
Best of luck with the movie issue.

 

[Trek Survivor]

I've said it before, but I also "miss" something from the new issues of STM. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it a lot, and Paul & team are doing a great job. There was just something essentially British, slightly irreverant and quirky about the earlier issues that's missing. But I think that's just a natural progression from UK mag to international stardom status!

It also probably has something to do with the state of the franchise in 1995-1997, compared to now.

I think the low point for the magazine was circa issue #75-100ish. Poor layout, meandering direction and editing etc.

For a magazine to last over 14 years though is a tremendous achievement. Paul, I hope you do something special for the UK fans when we reach FIFTEEN YEARS since #1 (Feb 2010?)

I for one, can't wait for the upcoming issues. Very happy it's now to be published on a more frequent basis than every two months! Hurrah!!

 

[PaulSimpson]

Also, the letters page is now full of letters from the US.

That'll be because people from the US write to us!

I believe you have started doing the 100 page issues again, probably room for more ads. Seriously, for almost 10 euros, the amount of ads to content ratio isn't the best. Non 100 pagers are seriously thin for that kind of money.

No, the 100 page issues are content-dictated and if you seriously think that our content/ad ratio is low, then check out most US magazines, which are much lower!

There was just something essentially British, slightly irreverant and quirky about the earlier issues that's missing. But I think that's just a natural progression from UK mag to international stardom status!

It also probably has something to do with the state of the franchise in 1995-1997, compared to now.

Quirky British doesn't always translate!!

For a magazine to last over 14 years though is a tremendous achievement. Paul, I hope you do something special for the UK fans when we reach FIFTEEN YEARS since #1 (Feb 2010?)

Yes, I do - it neatly coincides with issue 25 of the US format so there'll be something for sure. (he says, hoping he's not given a hostage to fortune!)

 

[Trek Survivor]

Yes, I do - it neatly coincides with issue 25 of the US format so there'll be something for sure. (he says, hoping he's not given a hostage to fortune!)

Fantastic news!

 

[Mike Farley]

Released the weekend of the movie is our Movie Souvenir Issue with exclusive access to all the key players in front of the cameras talking in detail about the movie, as well as an on set diary from someone with a link to old and new Star Trek... .
Paul Simpson
Editor Star Trek Magazine

Why not say it's Nimoy? Why so cryptic? Because it's Shatner? Huh? Because it's Shatner? I just know it's Shatner. He really is in it. (OK, just stirring things up for old times sake. )

Actually, I've found myself checking the magazine racks lately for any print news on the movie. You can bet I'll be looking for these issues. Cool stuff.

It's not Nimoy or Shatner.

It's Rick Berman who has been secretly producing this movie all along.

 

[indranee]

Why not say it's Nimoy? Why so cryptic? Because it's Shatner? Huh? Because it's Shatner? I just know it's Shatner. He really is in it. (OK, just stirring things up for old times sake. )

Actually, I've found myself checking the magazine racks lately for any print news on the movie. You can bet I'll be looking for these issues. Cool stuff.

It's not Nimoy or Shatner.

It's Rick Berman who has been secretly producing this movie all along.