Tag: magazine news

By Bernie Hunhoff

We love every one of our readers. The dozen of us (or so) who get to produce and publish South Dakota Magazine are ever grateful for the readers who really make our explorations possible.

And the magazine has steadily gained readers throughout our 27-year history. Today we hit a new milestone — 45,000 paid subscribers!

The magazine industry and our very own surveys indicate that about 4 people read each residential subscription, so the 45,000 subscribers translate to about 180,000 readers.

We never imagined that amout of readership when we published the first issue in the spring of 1985. And for that matter, when we hit 25,000 … 30,000 … 35,000 … 40,000 …. we never imagined 45,000.

It’s a credit to our fine staff, the best that any publisher could ask for. And credit largely goes to our big and beautiful state. It’s not hard to find adventurous, exciting, heartfelt and heroic stories of life in South Dakota.

At midday today, our circulation chief Jana Lane entered the 45,000th subscriber. She is Joyce Gerberding of Goodwin, and she will get the magazine as a gift from Judy Kranz of Watertown.

When we started the magazine in 1985 we badly needed 200 subscribers so we could qualify for a second class USPS permit, so we knocked on doors and begged for checks from friends and relatives. Every subscription was a step toward our dream of showing South Dakota on paper with stories and photos.

One of the interesting things about still publishing the magazine 27 years later is that our 45,000th subscription is as rewarding as the first 200. Readers make the magazine what it is today. So thanks, Judy. We hope Joyce enjoys the magazine as much as we appreciate the opportunity to practice journalism in South Dakota.

By Bernie Hunhoff

We started South Dakota Magazine 27 years ago. I can still remember the first person who subscribed. Bob Abbott (now of Sioux Falls) stopped at my house to tell me about a travel bus business he was developing. “What are you doing these days?” he asked.

“I think I’ll start a magazine about life in South Dakota,” I answered.

“Sign me up,” said Bob, who eventually founded Abbott Travel in Sioux Falls. So I took his address and said I’d bill him when we had some stationery (remember stationery?).

I also remember the first check we received from a subscriber. I’d sent a mailing to bankers and other professionals around the state, pitching my magazine idea and asking for subscriptions. Ron Williamson was then running Citi-Bank in Sioux Falls, and he responded almost immediately with a $9 check.

A big Republican contest for governor was developing as I was planning the first issue. George Mickelson of Brookings and LeRoy Hoffman of Eureka (both candidates, of course) soon sent checks and kind notes. Sadly, South Dakota lost both George and LeRoy too soon — but the Mickelsons and Hoffmans are still supporters and readers.

Why the trip down memory lane? We reached 44,000 subscriptions this month — a very gradual 27-year climb that has defied gravity, the internet and all other hoops and hurdles that every business must manuever.

That 44,000 translates into about 150,000 readers around the USA.

One interesting revelation about reaching a new milestone is the fact that we still get as excited about a new reader as I did when Bob and Ron and George and LeRoy subscribed 27 years ago.

So who’s the newest subscriber? He is Randy Tiedeman of Flandreau. Like Ron, he responded to a mailing we did — and here’s the kicker. Instead of playing the regular $19, Randy rounded it up to $20.

Readers and supporters like Randy — and 43,999 others — make us feel like the luckiest editors on Earth. Our thanks go out to all of you.

My staff and I hear and enjoy a lot of kind words on what the magazine does to explore and interpret life in South Dakota. But we never forget that the real leaders of this magazine are the readers.