I don't think the 3.99 price is a signal of any kind of desperation. I read recently, I wish I could remember where, that subscription and newsstand sales make

I don't think the 3.99 price is a signal of any kind of desperation. I read recently, I wish I could remember where, that subscription and newsstand sales make a smaller portion of magazine revenue when compared to ads. Publishers would give them away for free to push up their circulation and thereby their ad rates, except advertisers discount ads placed in free publications. So publishers run all kinds of special promotions to push up circulation without appearing to cheapen their product to their advertisers. That's one possible explanation, or it could be simple price segmentation - offering different prices through different channels to increase overall revenue.