GaiaGPS sold but Outside makes the headline

[rionapo]

Big news in the outdoor media world that may be of interest to everyone even though it’s not internal combustion related: Outside Magazine has been sold to Denver-based Pocket Media, which has rebranded itself as Outside. While this article focuses on the many muscle-powered publications now under this one roof, and its ambitions to extend Outside’s multi-media and digital work to the Apple TV and Netflix level (dream big), it mentions that GaiaGPS was also bought by POM last week. For those who don’t know Gaia, it’s a very popular and useful mapping app, long my favorite though I’m lately enjoying Topo Maps+, as well. It will be interesting to see how the app gets integrated into the publications, if at all.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/ne...973cea804.html

[BrianW]

I was a longtime Outside subscriber, since it's second year of publication I think. I cancelled it several years ago when it morphed into more of a "GQ for sorta outdoorsy people" type of publication. Still had good writing, but definitely lost it's cred as far as I was concerned.

[simplesez]

Cancellation was the right call. One decent article an issue didn't make up for the marketing disguised as product reviews. Gear mags are garbage.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by BrianW

I was a longtime Outside subscriber, since it's second year of publication I think. I cancelled it several years ago when it morphed into more of a "GQ for sorta outdoorsy people" type of publication. Still had good writing, but definitely lost it's cred as far as I was concerned.

I intensely dislike the GQ stuff, too. Unfortunately, as Outside editor Chris Keyes explained in a conference I organized a while back, the market won’t support pure long-form journalism in an outdoors mag. The candy gets sales and subscribers so the long-form can exist. When you look at the overall state of journalism, free content is crippling everybody. And it generally doesn’t meet the quality of traditional sources. I don’t know POM but at least they don’t seem to be a vulture capitalist outfit looking to bleed their acquisitions dry. Meanwhile, I think Outside is doing good work on their online site but I doubt they’re making any money there yet.

Having said that, I’m more curious about how GaiaGPS fits in all that.

[86Scotty]

Me too Don, thanks for sharing this.

[BrianW]

Originally Posted by rionapo

I intensely dislike the GQ stuff, too. Unfortunately, as Outside editor Chris Keyes explained in a conference I organized a while back, the market won’t support pure long-form journalism in an outdoors mag. The candy gets sales and subscribers so the long-form can exist. When you look at the overall state of journalism, free content is crippling everybody. And it generally doesn’t meet the quality of traditional sources. I don’t know POM but at least they don’t seem to be a vulture capitalist outfit looking to bleed their acquisitions dry. Meanwhile, I think Outside is doing good work on their online site but I doubt they’re making any money there yet.

Having said that, I’m more curious about how GaiaGPS fits in all that.

Yeah, I get that (my degree is in journalism). But it really turned the corner too quickly and obviously for my tastes.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by BrianW

Yeah, I get that (my degree is in journalism). But it really turned the corner too quickly and obviously for my tastes.

Agreed. I let my subscription lapse for several years before I resubscribed out of guilt for all the times I used their web pages.

[rltilley]

Originally Posted by simplesez

Cancellation was the right call. One decent article an issue didn't make up for the marketing disguised as product reviews. Gear mags are garbage.

I cancelled as well. It got to the point where I couldn’t tell what was an ad and what was an article. I do read on their website every now and then though.

[Adventure4Vets]

Good info indeed, and like you, I'm hoping Gaia will continue to be supported in a meaningful way without decreasing its utility. Yesterday, on the ClubHouse App (iPhone audio app), the executives from POM-Outside talked about the acquisition and their hopes for bringing more value. I have my fingers crossed.

Regarding ClubHouse, the outdoor community is really starting to build there which, is fun to be a part of.

Lastly, regarding Outside magazine, I also ended my subscription a while ago; however, if there are any Veteran's here, you can get a free, online subscription to Outside and other magazines through the Navy's Virtual Library. It a great offering and works really well on an iPad or other tablet. Hit me up if you need help signing up or if you're interested in an invite for the ClubHouse app, which is still in beta.