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Consumed by Inflation?: A Russian Magazine Struggles to Survive
| Article
# : |
10724 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
6 / 1993 |
2,118 Words |
| Author
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Elena Pavlova
Elena Pavlova is senior literary assistant for But Why? an
educational magazine published in Moscow. This essay is a
retelling of a legend first collected and recorded by the
Russian folklorist Alexander Afanasiev (1826--1871). |
Do you know how the Sebrikov "flying chair" enables cosmonauts to work freely in the vacuum of outer space? Or that the ejection system on the Soviet space shuttle Buran was developed to forestall a tragedy such as befell the U.S. shuttle Challenger? And did you know that the Buran can be carried on the back of the 225 Mria, a Soviet freight airplane? Mria can carry huge loads, such as bridge sections or huge chemical tanks, and if its bulky cargo does not fit into the hold, it carries its load on its back. Were you aware that in 1988 Mria broke 109 world records at once, including the Boeing 747-400's record in the category of largest takeoff weight? Or do you know the principles that might enables a flying saucer to fly; or how the "Martian Sphinx" was created; or how the Egyptian pyramids may have been constructed?
For nearly forty years, Russian teenagers have found the answers to questions like these on the pages of the popular monthly science magazine Young Technician (YuT). Readers have learned about new discoveries, been encouraged to master inventive and technical skills, and had access to the best examples of Russian and foreign science fiction writing.
Since 1985 and the introduction of perestroika, the number of new periodicals in Russian has mushroomed. Despite the numerous new almanacs, journals, and newspapers, YuT remains unchallenged by any direct competitor. Yet, enjoying an editorial monopoly may not be enough to allow YuT to survive in today's marketplace. The greater enemy of the magazine is the hyperinflation that is consuming all of Russian society.
From the first year of publication, YuT's subscription base paid for all its editorial costs. The sudden onset of inflation and the drastic rise in Russia's cost of living have changed the picture. Circulation dropped from 2 million in 1991 to 500,000 by the beginning of 1993. In 1992, the editorial staff was obliged to apologize to its readers and announce large additional subscription charges for the latter part of the year. Another substantial increase is under discussion, and the future of YuT and two subsidiary publications now hangs in the balance.
Readership response
Founded by the Central Committee of Komsomol (CCK), the magazine began publication in September 1956. The first editor in chief, Victor Bolchovitin, created an editorial philosophy and tradition for the magazine that persist to this day. More than simply imparting information, Bolchovitin
...
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