Re: What is the market for Jewish music Mag?

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

>My question for the list is has anyone tried to estimate how small a niche we 
>really are discussing?  Is it large enough to support this type of print 
>publication?  I have some doubts if the examples of Davka or Pakn Treger 
>(both Jewish niche publications) are any indication.  Davka has become the 
>webzine Tattoo Jew and I am not sure what is happening with Pakn Treger since 
>it hasn't made it to Washington DC recently.

The niche may be much larger than we think. I have no idea why Pakn
Trager didn't/doesn't reach a wider audience, unless it just takes time
to get people to realize how broad the range that it covers is. I do
know that the NYBC has cut back on the publication schedule, which is
most unfortunate.

With regards to Davka, though, other than the cover you mention, what
content worth reading is there? Once a person read one issue, why would
they go back? [Disclaimer: I was loosely connected to the circle that 
produced the first issue.]

I think that Jewish music magazine, especially if it broadened into 
other cultural issues, could be a lot of fun to put out, and would
reach a wider audience than we think. And, of course, the more
writing and talking and arguing about Jewish music, the more it 
draws people in and the more there will be. (The point behind this
mailing list, the news group it was originally connected to, Virtual
Ashkenaz, the Klezmer Shack, Jewish area on the WELL, etc., etc., etc.)

The issue isn't whether Barbra Streisand or the Beastie Boys would have
to be part of it, but whether it could cover a broad enough range of
stuff from JAM to hazanut and do it in a way worth reading.

ari


Ari Davidow
ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
list owner, jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
the klezmer shack: http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+