48 Hour Magazine
May 5, 2010 1:34 PM Subscribe
Can thousands of contributors have a baby in a month make a magazine in 2 days? 48 Hours Magazine will announce a topic and start accepting submissions on Friday, and will ship to the printer on Sunday. Joel Johnson interviewed the crack editorial staff.
Q: What can we do to save the print industry?
A: Offer lower quality products!
This is a terrible idea.
posted by Think_Long at 1:42 PM on May 5, 2010
A: Offer lower quality products!
This is a terrible idea.
posted by Think_Long at 1:42 PM on May 5, 2010
Hmm, I should have withheld my criticism. I had never heard of this strange light project.
posted by Think_Long at 1:45 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Think_Long at 1:45 PM on May 5, 2010
a sampling of blogs with poorer than usual editing and layout in hard copy format
...which will make it superior in quality to 75% of the product on your average newsstand.
Not much different than your average '24 hour magazine' aka daily newspaper, except with content from a far less narrow subset of contributing writers, therefore a hell of a lot less lazy.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:47 PM on May 5, 2010
...which will make it superior in quality to 75% of the product on your average newsstand.
Not much different than your average '24 hour magazine' aka daily newspaper, except with content from a far less narrow subset of contributing writers, therefore a hell of a lot less lazy.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:47 PM on May 5, 2010
Not a magazine about buddy cop movies then.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:47 PM on May 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:47 PM on May 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
From t he website:
Here's how it works: Issue Zero begins May 7th. We'll unveil a theme and you'll have 24 hours to produce and submit your work. We'll take the next 24 to snip, mash and gild it. The end results will be a shiny website and a beautiful glossy paper magazine, delivered right to your old-fashioned mailbox. We promise it will be insane. Better yet, it might even work.
At least they admit it's insane and seem to be trying to have some fun with it.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:48 PM on May 5, 2010
Here's how it works: Issue Zero begins May 7th. We'll unveil a theme and you'll have 24 hours to produce and submit your work. We'll take the next 24 to snip, mash and gild it. The end results will be a shiny website and a beautiful glossy paper magazine, delivered right to your old-fashioned mailbox. We promise it will be insane. Better yet, it might even work.
At least they admit it's insane and seem to be trying to have some fun with it.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:48 PM on May 5, 2010
...also not a print version of the CBS show about sensationalist 'mysteries'.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:49 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:49 PM on May 5, 2010
What's the expression? "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it?" I think it's an interesting idea. From the interview:
None of us are aiming to topple the magazine/print media industry, but I think all of us are looking at this as an experiment with relatively low stakes—a chance to look at "magazine" from a different angle, without an existing publication's inertia, and with fewer assumptions about how things have to be done on the web and in print. None of us are holding this up as a model for how things will be done in the future, but we all may learn a bit about where media is heading first hand and can go back to our other jobs with those lessons.
posted by a.steele at 1:55 PM on May 5, 2010
None of us are aiming to topple the magazine/print media industry, but I think all of us are looking at this as an experiment with relatively low stakes—a chance to look at "magazine" from a different angle, without an existing publication's inertia, and with fewer assumptions about how things have to be done on the web and in print. None of us are holding this up as a model for how things will be done in the future, but we all may learn a bit about where media is heading first hand and can go back to our other jobs with those lessons.
posted by a.steele at 1:55 PM on May 5, 2010
Oh boy, a sampling of blogs...
That would violate their contributor's guidelines: We want to publish it first.
posted by domnit at 1:58 PM on May 5, 2010
That would violate their contributor's guidelines: We want to publish it first.
posted by domnit at 1:58 PM on May 5, 2010
Ah, it's the old conundrum. You want it fast, cheap, or good? Choose two only. They've made their decision. Good luck is about all one can say.
posted by IndigoJones at 2:02 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by IndigoJones at 2:02 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's a stupid gimmick idea but stupid gimmick ideas occasionally produce rad results. I signed up also.
posted by Damn That Television at 2:03 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Damn That Television at 2:03 PM on May 5, 2010
Some of the best things in the world were started by some people saying, "well, what the fuck. Let's try it!" Some real turds, too, but it's hard to tell what's in a present until you open it.
I signed up.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:10 PM on May 5, 2010
I signed up.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:10 PM on May 5, 2010
At least three of the six people at the center of this project are Mefites, including #44. We've followed some of their publishing (mis-)adventures here before, and they are as good a group to try something like this as any.
Disclaimer: I signed up for the project a few hours before the post; momentarily considered posting this myself (in another 14 hours) but didn't want to be accused of self-linking IF they used anything from me in the future.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:14 PM on May 5, 2010
Disclaimer: I signed up for the project a few hours before the post; momentarily considered posting this myself (in another 14 hours) but didn't want to be accused of self-linking IF they used anything from me in the future.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:14 PM on May 5, 2010
I signed up. I already work fast.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:20 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:20 PM on May 5, 2010
Hi, I'm Mat. I'm one of the editors at 48 Hour Magazine. Sometimes life is a line from an R. Kelly song.
But I understand the skepticism and honestly relish it. The best kind of challenges to take on are those that everyone expects you to fail at. (This is especially true of ones you've taken on publicly.)
If who signed up to contribute, or are interested enough to buy a copy of the magazine once it's up on Magcloud, thanks! I have absolute confidence that we're going to make something great and we'll reward your curiosity.
And for those of you trashing us right out of the gate, well, I'm not surprised. It's nuts. But we're going for it anyway.
posted by emptyage at 2:35 PM on May 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
But I understand the skepticism and honestly relish it. The best kind of challenges to take on are those that everyone expects you to fail at. (This is especially true of ones you've taken on publicly.)
If who signed up to contribute, or are interested enough to buy a copy of the magazine once it's up on Magcloud, thanks! I have absolute confidence that we're going to make something great and we'll reward your curiosity.
And for those of you trashing us right out of the gate, well, I'm not surprised. It's nuts. But we're going for it anyway.
posted by emptyage at 2:35 PM on May 5, 2010 [4 favorites]
I think this is a great idea and it'll probably be a huge hit b/c things like this often work out that way.
/also signed up
posted by vhsiv at 2:42 PM on May 5, 2010
/also signed up
posted by vhsiv at 2:42 PM on May 5, 2010
I signed up.
posted by klangklangston at 2:54 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by klangklangston at 2:54 PM on May 5, 2010
Sometimes life is a line from an R. Kelly song.
"I'm like, so what, I'm drunk."
posted by klangklangston at 2:55 PM on May 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
"I'm like, so what, I'm drunk."
posted by klangklangston at 2:55 PM on May 5, 2010 [3 favorites]
Damnit, I hope this ragtag bunch of misfits pull it off. I'd love to see a nutty idea work. Maybe it will inspire a few other publications to push themselves rather than curl up and wait to die. I'm rooting for them!
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:27 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:27 PM on May 5, 2010
It's really not that crazy. I used to be editor-in-chief of a newsweekly, and, no matter how far in advance you plan, 90 percent of the work is done in the two days before publication.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:42 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:42 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
While much of a magazine's grunt work is done in the final day or two, I think this is different because there going from zero to sixty in that window.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2010
I signed up; dunno if they're actually going to have any need for my skill set of choice (off-site copy editor), but I guess we'll see!
posted by limeonaire at 4:03 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by limeonaire at 4:03 PM on May 5, 2010
I've got like a bank of like 300 unsold cartoons that can fit almost every theme.
Fuckin backfiles gotta do something.
posted by The Whelk at 4:39 PM on May 5, 2010
Fuckin backfiles gotta do something.
posted by The Whelk at 4:39 PM on May 5, 2010
Sure, they interviewed the editors. Now let's see an interview with the designers...preferably at 11 p.m. on Sunday night.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 4:55 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by evidenceofabsence at 4:55 PM on May 5, 2010
I may not be able to write anything on the theme presented, but I'll give it a whirl. Sounds interesting! Signed up.
posted by Alnedra at 5:07 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Alnedra at 5:07 PM on May 5, 2010
"Now let's see an interview with the designers...preferably at 11 p.m. on Sunday night."
We'll be finished by then, but we're going to stream live video the entire time* so you won't have to wait for the post-game show.
*almost. we'll won't start rolling until a couple of hours after we announce the theme once we get set up in our temporary office at Mother Jones.
posted by emptyage at 7:43 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
We'll be finished by then, but we're going to stream live video the entire time* so you won't have to wait for the post-game show.
*almost. we'll won't start rolling until a couple of hours after we announce the theme once we get set up in our temporary office at Mother Jones.
posted by emptyage at 7:43 PM on May 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sounds crazy enough to possibly work. I think it would've been a disaster if there wasn't a theme to tie things together somehow. I also signed up.
posted by cmgonzalez at 8:35 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by cmgonzalez at 8:35 PM on May 5, 2010
As a guy working at a monthly, who is restructuring his complete production schedule right now, I'm definitely interested to see if there are any good ideas I can borrow in here. That said, the whole thing pretty much only works because they don't have any subscribers, so if the whole thing goes balls up, well, no harm, no foul, no tens of thousands of people coming headhunting because you didn't get a mag out on time.
posted by Amanojaku at 8:52 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by Amanojaku at 8:52 PM on May 5, 2010
Oh hell yes! Some years ago, I did a 24-hour theater project and had a blast. This ... may not be quite so fun but I. am. in.
posted by wobh at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by wobh at 9:24 PM on May 5, 2010
Signed up. Will submit. Will pout when my stuff doesn't show up @ the finished work.
posted by mountain_william at 9:38 PM on May 5, 2010
posted by mountain_william at 9:38 PM on May 5, 2010
"Hey Old Media; we're going to show you how to make blogspam."
posted by rageagainsttherobots at 3:43 AM on May 6, 2010
posted by rageagainsttherobots at 3:43 AM on May 6, 2010
First theme is 'hustle'.... hmmm
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:13 PM on May 7, 2010
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:13 PM on May 7, 2010
....and that would be the one theme I have almost NO cartoons on.
Anyone wanna colab? I am bone dry.
posted by The Whelk at 12:44 PM on May 7, 2010
Anyone wanna colab? I am bone dry.
posted by The Whelk at 12:44 PM on May 7, 2010
All I can think of is an endless stream of words that rhyme with hustle (bustle, muscle, tussle…) and my time in the Hustler offices, so I think I'll write about the latter.
posted by klangklangston at 1:15 PM on May 7, 2010
posted by klangklangston at 1:15 PM on May 7, 2010
"Dear friends, despite the theme, this is not a magazine of erotica. Just sayin"
Of course being British, this is all I can think of...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:20 PM on May 7, 2010
Of course being British, this is all I can think of...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:20 PM on May 7, 2010
I love this, because I spent the early years of my working life running into 'phone boxes at ten to midnight, turning scrawled notes into sentences for the next morning's paper.
And I hate this, because the idea that this is in any way innovative is a fucking joke; the way they're pitching it is borderline offensive to anyone who's ever worked at a newspaper or magazine.
posted by a little headband I put around my throat at 2:07 PM on May 7, 2010
And I hate this, because the idea that this is in any way innovative is a fucking joke; the way they're pitching it is borderline offensive to anyone who's ever worked at a newspaper or magazine.
posted by a little headband I put around my throat at 2:07 PM on May 7, 2010
I was so set to do this, but 'hustle' just doesn't inspire me somehow... I'm not giving up, though.
posted by showbiz_liz at 6:17 PM on May 7, 2010
posted by showbiz_liz at 6:17 PM on May 7, 2010
I've submitted an image that definitely fits "hustle." It's recent, but not fresh. I've spent the day out taking new shots and am not used to rushing an image out without living with it at least for a few days. Not sure whether to send them through.
posted by michswiss at 9:10 AM on May 8, 2010
posted by michswiss at 9:10 AM on May 8, 2010
I wrote a short story for the theme. If they like it, great, if not, I'll stick it up on my site anyway. The important thing is they got me to write.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:26 PM on May 8, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:26 PM on May 8, 2010
I submitted an essay. It sounds like they got 1000+ submissions at the buzzer, so it will be interesting to see what makes it in.
posted by Alison at 4:04 PM on May 8, 2010
posted by Alison at 4:04 PM on May 8, 2010
I had half-an-idea kinda thing that I pushed around for a bit, but then other stuff came up and now I missed the deadline. :-(
posted by wobh at 4:28 PM on May 8, 2010
posted by wobh at 4:28 PM on May 8, 2010
I'm shaking. That's my image on the cover. It's 3am and I waited up to watch this whole thing come together never even imagining that I'd get included and then I see the preview and the official site.
posted by michswiss at 12:20 PM on May 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by michswiss at 12:20 PM on May 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
Congratulations, michswiss!
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:03 PM on May 9, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:03 PM on May 9, 2010
Good for you, michswiss!
My piece made it in. I was pretty heavily edited, but I'm happy I made the cut.
posted by Alison at 4:05 PM on May 9, 2010
My piece made it in. I was pretty heavily edited, but I'm happy I made the cut.
posted by Alison at 4:05 PM on May 9, 2010
I'm presuming that you folks who know you made it in have been notified, and the fact that I have not been notified means that my submission was not accepted. Is that correct?
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:43 PM on May 9, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:43 PM on May 9, 2010
I haven't received any notification yet other than the obvious one of seeing the cover. Their feed says they will put up the list of accepted contributions this evening PST
posted by michswiss at 5:37 PM on May 9, 2010
posted by michswiss at 5:37 PM on May 9, 2010
They contacted me to do the edits, other than that I haven't heard anything.
posted by Alison at 5:56 PM on May 9, 2010
posted by Alison at 5:56 PM on May 9, 2010
Thanks. You understand, of course, that the suspense is killing me.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:17 PM on May 9, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:17 PM on May 9, 2010
...and I'm not in. Oh, well. They can't all be gems.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:20 AM on May 10, 2010
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:20 AM on May 10, 2010
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