Today brings sad news. The International UFO Reporter, the publication of the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies has ceased publishing an ink and paper edition of the magazine. Volume 34, Number 2, the March 2012 issue is the last.
Mark Rodeghier, the scientific director of the Center, wrote that they had noted in recent years that many long time and respected UFO groups have closed. He mentioned SOBEPS in Belgium as one that had “produced a quality publication and did good work,” but that didn’t keep them safe from a decline in public interest.
Rodeghier wrote, “The CUFOS board has been monitoring these trends for many years and understands that a wider audience can be reached through the internet and other electronic formats. The number of Associates who receive IUR has reached that tipping point where producing a print publication no longer makes economic sense (truthfully, we passed this point a while ago but soldiered on out of inertia and a stubborn commitment to print).”
He continued, “Accordingly, we must announce that this issue [Volume 34, Number 2, March 2010] of IUR will be the last one produced in hard copy. Whether or not there will be an electronic version of IUR, and if so, its format and frequency, is still to be decided...”
He concluded by saying, “We thank all of our readers, our contributors, and our varied production and editorial teams who made IUR what many consider the best English-language UFO publication in history.”
4 comments:
"...many consider the best English-language UFO publication in history.”
Possibly. Many might also consider the UK 'Flying Saucer Review' the best.
Does anyone know if FSR is still publishing? As a Brit I ought to know but have long since lost touch with it.
CDA -
Given that Mark has worked on the magazine since the mid-1980s, don't you think he's allowed a little hyperbole? Besides, he might be right.
Actually this might give the IUR a new lease on life. perhaps their funding could be used in part to beef up their website which would provide blogs and the e-magazine. It will certainly pick up more readers if it gets out there in the rushing rapids of the internet.
It has and will be a trusted magazine for the reporting of the UFO phenomenon. It could link to YouTube, perhaps support ads (tasteful ads of course)which promote UFO writers and their books.
Just throwing out some ideas here.
The thing is, the IUR has a great reputation. Those that received the IUR knew they were getting well researched material and the fringe of the phenomenon was ignored.
I really think this could work out for IUR, Mark, if you want to put up with the headaches.
Don Ledger
Nova Scotia
I really have mixed feelings about this. It's hard to summon a lot of sympathy for a group that ignored changing times and a changing communications landscape. After all, you may make the best 8-track tape on Earth - but who wants it?
I just find it a little ironic that a UFO journal was done in because it failed to recognize the value of superior technology.
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