Putting 40,000 Readers, One by One, on a Cover

[RS Davis]

[glow=red,2,300]DAVID CARR Wrote:[/glow] When the 40,000 subscribers to Reason, the monthly libertarian magazine, receive a copy of the June issue, they will see on the cover a satellite photo of a neighborhood - their own neighborhood. And their house will be graphically circled.

On one level, the project, sort of the ultimate in customized publishing, is unsurprising: of course a magazine knows where its subscribers live. But it is still a remarkable demonstration of the growing number of ways databases can be harnessed. Apart from the cover image, several advertisements are customized to reflect the recipient's particulars.

Subscribe to Reason, my favorite magazine!

- Rick

[penguin]

RS said:

Subscribe to Reason, my favorite magazine!

- Rick

Now that is cool.

I've subscribed to Reason for about 6 years now. I liked it a little better when Virginia Postrel was editor, but it's still a good read.

[outgirl]

This whole big brother thing is so creepy.

[RS Davis]

penguin said:

Now that is cool.

I've subscribed to Reason for about 6 years now. I liked it a little better when Virginia Postrel was editor, but it's still a good read.

Yeah, my subscription ran out. I wonder - if I renew tomorrow, will I get one of those cool issues?

- Rick

[RS Davis]

outgirl said:

This whole big brother thing is so creepy.

Creepy, and kind of cool. That thing about a magazine tailored to you was kind of neat.

- Rick

[outgirl]

RS said:

Creepy, and kind of cool. That thing about a magazine tailored to you was kind of neat.

- Rick

Yea, that part is cool. We like getting affirmation of our beliefs from like minded people, but that can get boring sometimes too. Sometimes I get frustrated on this forum because often no one agrees with me. Then I go to the hip hop forum and end up dealing with some sixteen year old homophobe and rascist. So I go to the gay forum where there are all kinds of people who think just like me. But that gets sooooo boring. I already know how a forty year old lesbian thinks. I like the stimulation that I get from others who may not share my opinions. I seem to need a balance. And the thing about tracking people by satellite is creepy. I can see how it could be useful in war but to use it on our own citizens sometimes without probable cause, is scarey to me. Technology has its downsides. Have you ever read the novel "Bugs" by Theodore Roszak? It's one of my favorites on the subject. Kind of a cross between Stephen King and Harlan Ellison.