We surf the Internet. We swim in magazines.

If you haven't already seen this ad message, it's recently published in Sports Illustrated and will soon appear in many other magazines created by the Magazine Publishing Executives. The message is compelling. I couldn't resist adding it to my blog.

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping. The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you. The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive. And both media are growing.

Barely noticed amidst the thunderous Internet clamor is the simple fact that magazine readership has risen over the last five years. Even in the age of the Internet, even among groups one would assume are most singularly hooked on digital media, the appeal of magazines is growing.

Think of it this way: during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 percent.

What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn't necessarily displace the existing one. Just as movies didn't kill radio. Just as TV didn't kill movies. An established medium can flourish so long as it continues to offer a unique experience. And, as reader loyalty and growth demonstrate, magazines do.

Which is why people aren''t giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing.

My conclusion: Don't drown yourself in the Internet.