Andy Schwartz - New York Rocker

I contacted the publisher of New York Rocker fanzine to find out why the printed version ended and why he now uses a blog. 
Andy Schwartz replied straight away with answers presented below my questions. This is great for my primary research. 


Hi Andy,

Thanks for the reply. What was the reason for New York Rocker magazine ending in 1982?

Long run on a shoestring, the magazine finally ran out of money. Major record labels, our most important advertisers, began moving money from print ad budgets into video production.

How do you think magazines and fanzines been affected by technology and the Internet?

The most adroit and/or best-financed publications such as Rolling Stone or Wax Poetics have incorporated the Internet into their overall publishing and marketing strategies.

Do you think there has been a decline in print as people can easily view the media online, using their phones, iPads etc?

Internet access has brought on a decline in newsstand sales of music magazines the same as for The New York Times.

Social networking and blogging make it so much easier for people to interact now. What are the reasons for you setting up a New York Rocker blog?

Only to have an outlet for my own occasional writing, and to make sure the domain names weren't bought by someone else.

Will print always be the best form of design?

There can be excellence in print design and excellence in Web design. 

If you were to set up New York Rocker as a zine again, would you take the print or online route for distribution?

Both, in the manner of Rolling Stone or Wax Poetics.

Thanks for your time,

Katie Roberts