So. Farewell then the print edition of What’s Brewing. A World We Have Lost
The print edition of the monthly paper of the Campaign for Real Ale will cease with April 2021.
To be fair it’s a while since last orders were called and the decision had been made a while back to stop in July 2021. All that’s happened is that it’s been brought forward which in times like these saves money- particularly postage.
There will be a 8 page What’s Brewing insert into the quarterly Beer magazine (which surely would do better if it was called Beer and Beard) and an enhanced on-line CAMRA presence.
Its certainly the end of an era. I’ve been reading What’s Brewing since the 1970s. Aside from obviously writing letters to it (sparking the obvious volume of complaints which in the days before social media one just lived with)I also wrote the occasional column. Roger Protz commissioned me to write a piece on Marxism and beer (cue even more complaints) while noting privately that obviously (and understandably) he couldn’t be seen to promote such positions..
In recent times it’s fair to say I haven’t read the paper edition that much (glanced at it certainly) and sometimes when I remember and have time looked at it on line.
In general though, despite the fact that in more or less every area I operate I do stuff mostly on-line, on social media, on blogs, on websites, I do think there is a concern about not having some form of hard copy publication.
Obviously that doesn’t apply just now. But in general it will again. As the London Secretary of a major section of one the UK’s biggest unions I write a monthly newsletter for members. In usual times it circulates of course via e-copies but paper copies are always done. Why? Because when talking to members and trying to recruit more having a piece of paper with details and some news to hand them is immediate. It’s in their hands. They will need to glance at it even if they throw it away. Suggesting they have a look at a website if they remember and have time is just not the same thing.
The same applies to What’s Brewing. Reading it and leaving copies in pubs gets the CAMRA view across more widely and keeps it in people’s minds in a way websites don’t. Will I sit in a pub and read What’s Brewing on a website on my phone? Possibly but more likely I’ll be looking at the football.
Hopefully local hard copy branch magazines which still seem to flourish can do the job. At the same time though, and with all the benefits of the on-line world, when hard copy publication goes so does an element of public presence.
For example the Independent still exists as a newspaper on-line. How many people know or care? They don’t see it in the newsagent or (more likely)the supermarket. If they want to know what its saying they will never accidentally just see it (and perhaps want to see more). They must decide to seek it out on-line and, as above, other things may get their attention.
As the print edition of What’s Brewing ends CAMRA must make sure its in the public eye and mind. Particularly in days like these.
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