But the Chess Magazines are shooting for a specialized international audience; rather than a limited city audience. If the Chess magazine were confined to a local market segment - it too would be doomed. That's the difference.
Hmmmm, I wonder how the internet would affect a magazine like that? My wife and I contribute to FR because we would rather give our newspaper money to Jim, than to a Liberal rag.
You have a point there with regards to papers catering to sexual fetishes. Porn's free on the internetz.