Magazine Distribution Woes

Many magazines, including F&SF, are facing distribution problems. Editor Gordon Van Gelder recently posted on his blog that “There are upheavals going through the magazine distribution business right now and they’re going to affect F&SF. Specifically, copies that were distributed through Anderson News Corp. or Source Interlink might not be distributed right now.”

Those two distributors have instituted a 7-cent per copy surcharge for all the magazines they distribute. Publishers were given until February 1st to comply, but many can’t afford the additional cost, and others are refusing on principle — including the largest magazine publisher in the country, Time Inc., which produces People, Sports Illustrated, and other major publications.

Source Interlink and Anderson news are responsible for about half the retail magazine sales in the US, and distribution for many magazines is likely to be spotty until alternate arrangements can be made.