And as he points out, the publication is not sent to every KQED member, but only to those who choose it as their bonus. Therefore, Dinkelspiel contends, those readers count. Yet Hartle isn't the only one to wonder how many would pay to subscribe if they weren't already supporting public television and radio. We have a strong product now, and I wouldn't have said that two years ago. Editor Kelley defends that decision, too, explaining that most of his covers will continue to be service-oriented while the more compelling stories will be on the inside pages.
Service is what gets people to buy it off the newsstand.
And service doesn't have to be hackneyed. It should be well written, well conceived, and delightful. The money will have to come from investors and advertisers. But only a select few businesses, usually of Union Square caliber, can afford the rates a high-design city magazine needs to charge. Hartle maintains that there are plenty of trendy, locally owned bars, restaurants, and clothiers currently advertising in the weeklies that would pay a little more for the cachet of a glossy city magazine free of sex ads.