Somewhat contradictory remarks.
Magazines have been dying off for years, the impact of the internet is still being felt. I don't need a music magazine to tell me what's going on in the music world anymore. Any kind of "news" magazine isn't gonna do too good these days.
Most magazines make their money off advertising. If they have big circulation numbers, they can charge more for advertising. They have audits to certify what part of their subscriber base is actually paid.