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Jon Excell
Editor
The Engineer
An important announcement about the future of The Engineer
Many of you may have heard rumblings over the past few days relating to the future of the print version of The Engineer. I’d like to use this opportunity to address these rumours.
The pressures on print publishing are well known. Increasing distribution and production costs, and the impact of an ongoing economic crisis on advertising revenues, have conspired to create a challenging environment for magazine publishers. At the same time, the rise of the internet — with its global reach, low production costs and unfulfilled commercial potential — presents some truly exciting opportunities.
Against this backdrop, the owner of The Engineer, Centaur Media, is proposing to close to the print version of the publication and focus all of The Engineer’s editorial and commercial resources on growing the website and other digital products. It is proposed that the 16 July issue will be the last in print.
It’s hard to know what our Victorian forbears would make of the proposal to close the magazine. Some would certainly be horrified. Others might well be astonished to know that a publication launched more than a century and half ago is still in existence. But none would have anticipated the rise of the internet — a technological development every bit as disruptive as the invention of the automobile or the aircraft.
Since the relaunch of its website at the end of 2009, The Engineer has undergone perhaps the most striking evolution in its long history. We have been able to extend our reach far beyond that of the magazine, seed daily debate on the key issues, bring our subject matter to life with video and break and analyse news in a way that’s simply not possible within the constraints of a fortnightly magazine.
Clearly this will be unwelcome news for many — If not all — of our print readers. Indeed, given the hard work we’ve put into the magazine, we’d be disappointed if its proposed closure were met with indifference.
But The Engineer will live on and, we believe, continue to grow. We have big plans for the website, including making more of our vast and fascinating historical archive, building on our news and in-depth coverage and expanding our video content. And for those who like their content with a cover and a contents page, we’re launching a monthly digital version of The Engineer that can be read on a host of mobile devices.
Finally, I’d like to reassure all of our readers that the editorial team of The Engineer remains dedicated to maintaining the high journalistic standards and spirit of enquiry that have been at the heart of this important publication since its launch in 1856.
Watch this space for more details on our future strategy.
Readers' comments (223)
John Fenton | 10 Jul 2012 12:54 pm
I have to say that I am very unimpressed by this decision. It will mean the end of reading The Engineer for me. I can only read the articles when I am away from my desk (and computer), usually in the canteen. If print publication is to cease, "Bye bye, Engineer".
Hardly calculated to increase advertising revenue, is it? I doubt that I am the only one in this position.
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Anonymous | 10 Jul 2012 12:55 pm
I liked to read the magazine in the canteen at lunchtime. I then passed old copies to my father ( who does not have a computer ).
All three of us will miss the printed edition.
Thanks for many years of interesting magazines.
Paul.
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GRAHAM STEED | 10 Jul 2012 12:55 pm
I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRINTED EDITION AS I CAN READ AT ANY SPARE MOMENT AT ANY TIME OF DAY AND ANY WHERE.IT WILL BE A SAD LOSS
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Malcolm Watkinson | 10 Jul 2012 12:56 pm
Brilliant! You are the first of the magazines I read regularly to do this and it is definitely the way to go from an enviornmental impact viewpoint as well as cost. I look forward to the further improvements to the web offering that will no doubt result.
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Anonymous | 10 Jul 2012 12:56 pm
Can we have the crossword back, please?
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Ben | 10 Jul 2012 12:57 pm
It's a sad day to see the end of the Engineer.
Dress it up anyway and it's still the same fact that the Engineer will be no more from the 16th July.
:-(
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Anonymous | 10 Jul 2012 12:57 pm
I welcome the change, the daily e-mail along with a monthly magazine that can be read on the ipad, saves the planet's resources and gives access to read the magazine on the move.
John
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Dr A B Clarke | 10 Jul 2012 12:58 pm
A ridiculous and pathetic decision, especially presented as a 'fait accompli' with 1 week notice.
Who seriously wants to attempt to scan long articles and read them on portable devices??
The Engineer is an excellent publication and I will miss it as I will cancel by subscription..
And we complain that the general public don't appreciate engineering....?
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John Eaves | 10 Jul 2012 12:58 pm
You're crazy to close the print version as did Design Week. print is coming back! Many of my clients are realising that many of their targets prefer to read hard copy rather than an email - and that emails just stay on the computer
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Robert Freer | 10 Jul 2012 12:58 pm
Sorry to see you go.
Your historical archive is valuable, please make it easily available
Sic transit gloria mundi
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