This site is a totally free site. It does not charge a fee to belong and has no paid advertising in it.
People pretty much hear about this site via word of mouth.
I did pay for ads in the last two issues of the COCA (Coin Op Collector Association) Times magazine. That did not really result in many more people subscribing so I am not going to do it again. The other magazines you referred to are not really aimed at antique coin op collecting (I don't think) like this forum is.
If you think this forum is dead, you should check out the forum at the COCA site (
www.CoinOpClub.org) where you have to pay and be a member in order to read it.
I don't know what it is about Coin Op people but for the most part, they don't like to post messages.
Dave