And now a word from Terry Lowe, the publisher of what you're reading – and how it did not exist 10 years and one month ago. "Many of our competitors tried to spin it that we were just a flash in the pan, but 10 years later we're still cranking out the magazine and continuing to be important to those in the lighting and staging industry." From its modest beginnings, PLSN quickly rose to become the most-read, most-circulated magazine in the industry, and is now the longest-continually published journal in the business. It has kept that distinction by placing an emphasis on innovation. Embracing video's increasing importance, in 2006 it changed its name from Pro Lights & Staging News to Projection, Lights & Staging News. ("Luckily we didn't have to change the monograms on the towels," Lowe jokes.)
And there have been many firsts: In October 2004, PLSN was the first to unveil a digital edition, and the first to have their digital addition audited by BPA. (Their digital edition has let the world in, too: 2,000 additional subscribers from 104 countries receive it.) It was the first with e-newsletters, and the first to offer electronic lead generations. In 2009, it launched the industry's only social networking site,
prolightingspace.com.
Out of PLSN came the Parnelli Awards, which next year celebrates its own 10th year anniversary. "That, too, started out small, but now it's an institution, and I'm very proud of that," Lowe says.
Despite naysayers who claim otherwise, Lowe believes in the staying power of the printed word, even if there are more formats available to deliver it on. "Magazines are relevant because they are like comfort food," he says. "You can enjoy a magazine sitting down to lunch, on a plane, or … you-know-where-else … come on, you were thinking that anyway!
"Seriously, reading a magazine is the best way to absorb information. Readers retain what they see in the magazine. To see that PLSN continues to be valuable to the movers and shakers in the business, look no further than the fact that all our readers continue to subscribe, and that number continues to grow. I believe that's because in addition to print in general being pertinent, PLSN specifically continues to be successful in being the leading voice in the industry."
In the pages of this magazine over the last decade, there have been scores of company success stories told. The vast majority of these begin with someone playing in a band that ends up following his or her passion of the business to backstage, behind the curtain fields.
It's a scenario Lowe identifies with.
"My journey in publishing started out of frustration with my musical career," he says, chuckling at the familiarity of it all. Sitting behind a set of Gretsch drums, keeping the beat for various groups destined to not rise above bar band status, he became increasingly open to other ideas. While playing a gig at a dive in Minneapolis, he stumbled upon an alternative monthly, Sweet Potato. Indianapolis didn't have anything like it, so he went home and, at the age of 24, founded that state's first monthly that covered the music and entertainment scene, Hot Potato.
"I didn't know how ink got on paper," he recalls. "And fortunately, I found a printer who gave me credit." Three years later, he launched a successful career booking and managing bands and promoting concerts. From 1989 to 1992, he worked for Performance, an industry magazine for agents, managers, venues, and production professions that was a forerunner to Pollstar. "In 1992, I was fortunate enough to get to work for the leading recording magazine, Mix." Also in 1992 he got the idea for PLSN – but it would gestate for another seven years.
With his experience in the publishing business, and an acute sense for opportunity, he pulled the trigger – but not foolheartedly so. He had surveyed the landscape and saw two problems with the magazines trying to cover the lighting and staging industry. "Both were paid subscriptions with limited circulation, as both had only around 11,000 subscribers." He launched PLSN at nearly double that, 20,000 subscribers.
Also, most surprising to him, neither of the other publications were BPA audited, which is the gold standard of true publishing professionalism. "The importance of an accredited BPA audit cannot be underestimated," he explained. "It's valuable, because it's third-party verification of exactly who is reading the magazine. To advertise in a magazine that is not BPA audited is like buying commercials on a television without Nielsen ratings to even tell you how many people and what demographic are watching a particular show." PLSN started the BPA process from the very beginning, and had an official audit just 12 months after the first issue went out in the mail, which is extremely fast in the publishing business.
On December 7, 1999, media kits for the new magazine went out. "It was my Pearl Harbor sneak attack," Lowe says. The first issue followed, on Feb. 2, 2000. The newborn publication was a healthy 48 pages with 17 advertisers. Since then, PLSN never missed a monthly deadline, something Lowe is understandably proud of.
But growth of the magazine had to be earned. While known on the audio side of the business, Lowe was introducing himself to many in the lighting and staging fields. Also, he was putting together a crew that could live up to and deliver on the professional publishing standards he sought. A key architect of the magazine's success is national advertising director, Greg Gallardo, who joined PLSN its first year.
"It's been an honor to be part of PLSN all these years, and I continue to enjoy being a part of something that is so vital to the lighting and staging industry," Gallardo says. "It's a fascinating world with amazing talented people. The most satisfying part to me is when we can play a part in getting the news out on some new product, or help someone brag about the great job they did on some wildly successful tour. That's the best."
Lowe also credits editor Richard Cadena, who has been helming the magazine for nearly eight years. "Richard is the best editor in the business," Lowe states bluntly. "We're fortunate to have him. In addition to being a great editor, he's a prolific author and instructor, and probably most importantly, he still gets out there as a lighting designer."
"I'm really grateful to all the readers and supports of PLSN for allowing us to continue to serve the industry," Cadena says. "I hope to have the opportunity to do it for at least another ten!"
Despite the challenging times, Lowe looks forward to the next decade and beyond of serving those in the entertainment industry. "Being a performer for the early part of my life, and being around bands and live event production, I've enjoyed PLSN because it's allowed me to be totally immersed in what I love," he says. "It's a great ride."
