The Decline of Pulp Magazines

The success of pulp magazines was relatively short lived when it is compared to other literary mediums. While the science fiction and other type of stories still remain popular to this day, the grand period of science fictionpulp magazines drew to a close over fifty years ago. There are a number of factors that led to this change in demand and supply, such as economic problems, the increase in competition, and the emergence of new types of media. A look at the mid to late 1940s and early 1950s provide a glimpse at the end of the famous pulp magazines.

In the early 1940s, pulp magazines were at the height of their popularity, with many different titles and a cheap price that made them affordable entertainment for even people who had a low disposable income. However, times were about to change and the magazines would eventually lose their popularity. One of the biggest issues was the Second World War. In addition to creating a recession where American citizens watched their every penny, the Second World War also caused a paper shortage that dramatically increased the price of these usually cheap science fiction magazines.

While the cost of pulp magazines continued to rise, other new media types began to grab the attention of consumers. Comic books took a small slice of the market share, but it was the invention of wide scale television broadcasting that did the most damage. With television broadcasting, Americans began to read less and turn to the TV for their home entertainment. The magazines gradually fell out of view, with many publishers switching to the paperback novels format or closing up shop. The end of the pulp magazines era is usually marked by the closure of the American News Company in 1957 as the company was one of the largest publishers of the pulp fiction.