The death throes of two great news magazines

As a longtime subscriber to Newsweek and a frequent reader of Time, I've been appalled at the rapid diminishment of both magazines. Issues once running to well over a hundred pages, full of international news, have shrunk to a shell of their former selves. The latest news from Silicon Alley Insider adds another note to the death knells.

The blog reports that 111 Newsweek veterans have accepted a buyout to retire from the mag. This reinforces my conviction that it has given up on comprehensive, detailed reporting in favor of PeopleMagazine-type copy, heavy on Brittany and such pseudo-entertainment. I've also noted a drop in advertising quality. Where once any consumer company worth its salt would place ads in these two giants, we see ads for products once reserved for late night cable television and supermarket tabloids.

Fortunately, my favorite news magazine, The Economist, continues to provide wide-ranging, authoritative news. As far as Newsweek and Time magazines go, I'd jump on a buyout of my subscriptions if I had the opportunity.