Air & Space Forces Magazine Goes Bi-Monthly

AFA’s Air & Space Forces Magazine switched to a bimonthly publishing schedule this year as a result of changing reader habits and rising mailing costs.

“The majority of our readers are online today, and our website routinely generates well over a million page views monthly,” said Tobias Naegele, the magazine’s Editor in Chief. “By contrast, fewer than 60 percent of our members opt to receive a printed magazine in the mail.” 

The U.S. Postal Service has been raising 2nd class postage, the rates charged to periodicals, twice annually in recent years, leading to year-over-year increases in excess of 15 percent, or roughly one third since January 2023. Managing those costs continues to be a major challenge. 

The current issue schedule is for six issues, dated January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December. Reviewing the cost/benefit analysis of the print publication will remain a sensitive issue in the future.

“That’s why we continue to work on ways to enhance the digital product and to further develop our online presentation in such a way that we can appeal to and reach the widest possible audience,” Naegele said.