Comments on: Listicles, By The Numbers

By: Lucas Jensen

Lucas Jensen — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:32:38 +0000

@slowburn: I really appreciate this. To be mentioned in the same breath as Mr. Matos, who is certainly one of the best writers working today, is pretty ridiculous, though.

By: Guy_Whitey_Corngood

Guy_Whitey_Corngood — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:23 +0000

@2ironic4u: The AV Club does it every week. It's called Inventory.

By: themiserabilist

themiserabilist — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:28:21 +0000

If the in-depth, all-access road were moving issues at newsstand then the lists would go away. Another thing is that the lists can largely be compiled by interns and junior staffers. You don’t need a talented and insightful writer who needs to travel and stay in hotels, etc. in order to make a list. But I also think that there are areas where print can succeed beyond longer articles (I know I have a hard time getting through my New Yorker every week). Photography and design is an example. Also, as long as print pays better (which usually doesn’t take much), they should have the first crack at unique pitches by the most interesting and talented writers. And there’s also the creation of a distinct voice and talented editors to maintain it. Thoughtfully researched, longer articles have their place in what print will become, but its certainly not a cure-all. I think the ideal in the near future will be a fluid experience that combines print and web. Possibly a print vehicle compiled in part from Web content. But print is still incredibly viable and will be for years because, from the advertising side, there is still a big gulf between the perceived value of print ads and web ads.

By: Michaelangelo Matos

Michaelangelo Matos — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:30:54 +0000

@bcapirigi: article. charticle. listicle.

By: MrStarhead

MrStarhead — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:30:03 +0000

Creative Loafing is amazingly bad (especially their music coverage) for being the main alt-weekly for Atlanta (and Charlotte, I believe).

By: Tenno

Tenno — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:03:28 +0000

This article is now on my “Top 100 Online Articles That Are Awesome”, that I’m submitting to RS right now.

By: bcapirigi

bcapirigi — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:29:02 +0000

i’m sure i should know this…. what’s the point of the -icle suffix on the word list? or where did it come from, at least?

By: revmatty

revmatty — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:34:19 +0000

This is why I read Idolator, just for that I’m going to click through on all the ads. I might even buy something.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:00:01 +0000

@How do I say this ... THROWDINI!:

I read the entire Robert Johnson article as well. I think lacking subject matter is part of the "problem". There are so many musicians doing things, but honestly, how many are as intriguing as a Robert Johnson type figure.

By: mrbenning

mrbenning — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:50:22 +0000

A few years back I canceled my print subscriptions because I got tired of "list" issues. Month 1: Top 100 Obscure Albums? Month 2: Top 100 Bands Of The Year (as voted on by the readers)? Month 3: Top 100 Musical Acts that need to come out of retirement. At first it was cute, then it made me wonder why journalism and storytelling were going away.

@themiserabilist:
I think you make a good point. If the damn lists weren't so cheap for magazines to make, we probably wouldn't have to read them (or avoid them, either).

Part of the gulf of perceived value comes from the fact that print advertisements in a lot of magazines is the closest those brands will get to point of purchase advertisements. More people look at magazines in supermarket checkout lines than actually buy them.