New monthly SCV rag doesn’t even bother with content
Written by Jeff on June 11th, 2008Someone once commented here that the SCV’s staple of monthly magazines -up to 5 by my count now- usually end up mess of wet pulp and dye, soaked by a sprinkler system on the driveway of their house.
I’m fortunate enough not to receive most of the magazines at my house in the 91321 (no one buys the mail lists of slobs who live in condos, we don’t make enough money to make it worthwhile).
But now and then, I scan the magazines anyway, in order to see if there’s any worthwhile content.
And lo and behold while getting a pedi at the nail salon last Saturday, I discovered a new one! Santa Clarita Monthly “Your Neighborhood Savings Magazine” stood out to me on the table.
Santa Clarita Monthly is not quite a magazine in the traditional sense. It’s a cross between a glossy monthly mag with tons of ads and a fancy coupon book (think ValuPak) that you receive in the mail. I only was able to look at it for a second before its owner actually asked to have it back (Say what?!?), so I went back to enjoying my Newsweek. In that brief second, I couldn’t find any actual content.
I thought a bit about it and actually came to the realization that it was refreshing to see a magazine that dropped the pretense of providing substandard content and just focused on delivering ads. I mean, that’s what most of our magazines are about anyway, aren’t they? They’re just less bold than the SCV’s newest monthly mag.
Indeed, Santa Clarita Monthly’s website is all about ads, how much they cost, the different sizes you can buy, and much more. There’s not any information about any content or writing or articles, let alone articles themselves.
In this way, Santa Clarita Monthly stands out from its competition, most of which at least attempt to deliver some compelling content. Let’s review its competition in order of my tolerance for them:
- Inside SCV: Provides decent content, including our favorite blogger IHeart’s monthly column. Good writing, a good balance between content and ads, nice layout. Something you wouldn’t rush to remove off your coffee table if guests were arriving. Link
Magazine of Santa Clarita: Okay, so the articles are always predictable and include the same 200-300 names, and the newsprint rubs off on your fingers, but Mag of SC gets bonus points for having been around along time and for keeping its website up-to-date.- Santa Clarita Living Magazine: I actually haven’t seen this one in years and its website is off-line, but by virtue of the fact that just about anything is better than elite, SCLM earns #3 in my list.
- Elite SCV: The magazine for the “discriminating” Santa Claritan; elite is so highbrow and aristocratic that us mere mortals (slobs in the .21 and .51 zipcodes) aren’t even allowed to read the free publication’s content-less articles on its website. elite wins the prize for most glossy of the glossy and for using pretentious photographs on their website, like that guy.
And now we can add Santa Clarita Monthly to the list. It’s message, unlike the ones above, is: “I know you’re not picking me up to read a future Pulitzer winner, so let’s just dispense with the BS and I’ll show you the ads.” Fair enough, at least it’s honest!
I miss the days of Claritaville which went belly-up over a year ago. That monthly featured good content and had the feel of an edgier, more sophisticated urban weekly. Maybe that’s precisely why it went belly up.
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WethepeopleSCV, how did things go with your June 3rd chat session?
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Very good article Jeff! I read a couple of the magazines you’ve mentioned, and to tell you the truth I don’t know why. I find myself doing two things; 1) I look at the pictures to see if I recognize anyone and 2) I hope something will be printed that really matters to ME! (I know selfish in thought, but got to be honest) I do like the articles in the Magazine Of Santa Clarita that discuss our mental health. I really like reading those……Just kidding! However (seriously), I read the sections on the kids and activities. I particularly like Diane Trautman’s articles. She usually writes about something that any of us parents can use in regards to our children and their education. Other than that, not a bunch of interest just a certain amount of strange curiosity and Envy! I want a set of those beautiful white teeth that are on almost every page! I get the ELITE SCV but I know there is nothing in that one that would interest me, nor would I know anyone who may appear in it, because it’s elite and I’m not.
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because it’s elite and I’m not.
You’re elite to me lvogel. All the SCVtalkers are. AHHHHHH!
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I receive Elite in the mail and now move it right to the dumpster without reading. The name bothers me as do people that are typically the headliners. It is the same old glad handers reporting on the same old glad handers.
Elite is a pompous rag! IMHO
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Since I see these rags as a less environmentally sound form of “spam,” I wish I could “opt out” of receiving.
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Vince,
You can “opt out” of most junk mail. Contact your local Post Office for a form.
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Tough call on élite vs mag of scv… two heads of the same monster. élite embodies the worst of the “society aspect” of the M of SCV and amplifies it. But on the other hand, it has some actual article, however awful they are.
But you’re right, if I had the inclination, InsideSCV would be the only one I’d read, but it’s got its share of junk. My understanding is they also shake down business for advertising to get a mention in their article, like all the Xs in Y’s home are from Z.
Doesn’t it drive you crazy how they run pictures of people with their names like we’re supposed to know who they are?