Farewell Friend, We’ll Miss You

Have you heard the news? The final issue of Centerlines magazine has been published. After serving ACI-NA members for 17 years, it will be missed.

While all airport magazines compete for advertisers in much the same way airports compete for passengers and routes, we’re still part of a brotherhood that has a shared mission to support airports with information. We may be different in the stories we produce, how we cover them, the exact circulation we serve, etc., but we are a part of a very focused niche in a vibrant and critically important industry. It takes several voices to provide an industry with all the information that needs to be disseminated.

Producing a magazine is not easy. Finding the stories and managing circulation has always been challenging. But add in advertising sales, paper shortages and skyrocketing prices, and many other magazines find their tipping point. 

This is especially sad when you consider that our industry’s appetite for printed publications is running counter to trends in other media. What do I mean by that? Well, in the case of Airport Improvement, 85% of our airport subscribers choose the printed edition, or print and digital versions. Just 15% request digital only. Time and again, we hear that readers prefer our project-based coverage in a printed format, and simply like the feel of our paper stock. It’s certainly less expensive to produce digital publications. But if no one is reading them, or sharing them, what good are they?

With the void left by Centerlines, there’s more pressure on remaining publications to serve the airport market. And we’re determined to do our part! Since 2008, we’ve grown significantly by profiling and sharing your projects with industry peers. We can’t predict the future, but we’re excited to continue our journey together.

Cheers!