Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Tabloids and Me


Walking past any newsstand you cannot help but stare at the tabloid headlines that scream out to you saying, “Angelina is pregnant” and “Speidi is married”. Magazine tabloids have become our past time and leisurely read.
InTouch and Life & Style are one of many magazines that make their money on the lives of celebrities. They tell us weekly about what is happening in their lives and what moves they are going to make next.
So why do we the readers and consumers indulge in such “trashy” read? These magazines give us insight to what we might want our lives to be or not to be. For example, we all want a fairy tale ending just like “Bradjolina” and have kids and travel the world. Or on the other hand we all do not want to be known as that person who always goes to rehab, such as LindsayLohan.
Tabloids make bank on timely news and getting the scoop before anybody. One of the most expensive and most sought out tabloid expose is the new celebrity baby. We want to know what Christina Aguillera’s baby looks like, and what designer duds baby Suri is wearing. So you ask, how expensive are these photo-ops? Brad and Angelina received $11 and $15 million for the first photos of their twins, Knox and Vivienne, stated in www.forbes.com by Lacey Rose. Those photos were said to be the most expensive according to Forbes. The most shocking thing, I think, is not that Brad and Angie were paid millions of dollars for these photos, but we paid $2 to $3 out of our pockets and spend 10 to 15 minute of our lives reading such nonsense every week.
These types of magazines not only give us the low down on celebrity mishaps, but they also give us the “how to” live like a celebrity and “how to” look like a celebrity. They give us the readers images of what the latest trends the celebrities are wearing. They also inform us if two celebrities are wearing the same thing, which one wore it best. In these magazines we are also able to see how much celebrities spend on houses, clothes and leisure. We can also see how we can too, purchases swanky homes, and chic looking clothes for less.
These magazines feed our brains into wanting to be just like these celebrities we see on television. Their target audience is predominantly women of the age 30, according to Intouch and Life & Style’s media kit online. For both of those magazine’s they serve from 4 to 7 million readers.
We are sucked into wanting to know what is happening in these celebrities lives and these magazines feed our need to know.

Peaches Geldof Launches Own Magazine

British socialite and occasional journalist Peaches Geldof has managed to publish and create an entire magazine in a time of major strife in the industry, just about all by herself (with the help of one business partner). Disappear Here will be out this Thursday and be distributed for free in various night clubs, bars and record shops, according to Nylon (where Peaches owes her only journalism credential, a monthly column). She calsl Disappear Here a "women's magazine that appeals to men", adding that she doesn't feel womans magazines have enough of a sense of humor.

Although it will be a while until the industry will see if Peaches' newest endeavor will be a success, it does slightly stand out in the sea of new magazines launched each year. Last year, 248 new magazines were introduced into an international magazine market of almost 20,000 ( and that number is sure to multiply, if you count zines, and online magazines) titles, all according to the Magazine Publishers of America website. Out of all these publications, most are ethnic then followed by regional publications and travel magazines (Jann Wenner said to The Huffington Post, "Don't even try to start a magazine today; it's impossible. Besides financing and publishing support, you need, at the center of it, some extraordinarily talented, prescient individual. Such as I was"). So when 9 out of 10 magazines fail, (according to Entrepreneur magazine) how is a socialite going to fare? It's hard to tell, maybe magazines needs people outside the industry and without the background to come and shake things up. Or maybe this is just another example of a self-important wealthy socialite who thinks everything they touch will turn to gold.


Seeing the Rack Half Full


The industry is changing; there’s no disputing it. Some say times are tough for the magazine business in the midst of economic unrest; others are still optimistic. Will online versions replace print? Will people begin to see such entertainment as unnecessary luxury and forgo their favorite magazines? What is in store for the world of magazines in the years to come? I’ve decided to take a closer look at what some of the more hopeful professionals are saying.

There has been a lot of talk about Hearst closing the doors on “Cosmogirl.” Conde Nast’ “Men’s Vogue” was recently relinquished and absorbed by “Vogue”.  And there is no doubt that jobs are being sacrificed across the board. But according to one article published in the New Yorker: during a much more difficult economic crisis (namely the Great Depression), some magazines managed to emerge triumphantly and set the tone for a changing industry.

James Surowiecki’s feature, Let the Bad Times Roll, discusses “Fortune’s” success despite its emergence during such hard times. And although this may be an extenuating example, it illustrates a point that optimistic journalists continue to take comfort in; that the magazine industry has always found ways to reform to the times and pull through.

At a recent meeting of the Custom Publishing Council titled, “The Increasing Relevance of Magazines”, president of McPheters and Company, Rebecca McPheters told Samir Husni of Mr.Magazine.com that:

I believe that magazines are more relevant than they have ever been before. Why? Because magazine readership is growing…magazines give you an opportunity to engage with content that you are tremendously interested in.”

And according to Husni’s statistics, 74 new magazines were launched in October of this year. Although down from 93 in 2007, the number is still high and it shows that people are still motivated to publish magazines.

In another interview he spoke with David Carey, Group President at Conde Nast, who said this when asked whether he thought optimistically about the industry:

“I would think that every industry in the history of the world has gone through what we are going through right now… I think the population of half-full thinkers shrinks right now, but God forbids, it never goes to zero…Out of these periods of time new ways of doing business emerges…new thinkers, new readers…I would say, yes, very much so half-full. I might have fewer brethren who see (it) that way, but I still very much do.”

It’s reassuring to hear people like Carey, who know the industry in and out, speak positively about the business. As with any consumer industry, I think it is important to see the light in dark times. Consumer reaction to existing markets is largely based on how businesses present themselves. Shoppers will avoid a product that is surrounded by negative publicity. The magazine industry is no exception. Because we seek to publicly discuss everything going on around us, we don’t hesitate to write unenthusiastically about ourselves. But in doing so, we only weaken our own industry by letting on to the public that as journalists- we are even losing faith. And if we don’t see the glass half full, the magazine reader won’t either.

As for the fear that digital media has and/or will take over the industry, I for one believe that although it is crucial to incorporate interactive websites and to utilize the internet, people will continue to appreciate the anticipation of receiving their printed version. There is still something to be said for the accessibility and convenience of the actual magazine. I think many people who have loyally subscribed to the same publication for years will agree that reading the same content from a computer screen just isn’t the same. According to the Magazine Publishers of America Magazine Handbook:

“Despite the abundance of online content, few consumers see the internet replacing the print versions of magazines in the next five years, according to new research from MediaVest.”

As a longtime magazine consumer, a student of magazines and as someone who aspires to enter the industry in the near future, I have confidence in the resilience of not only the American economy, but in the magazine industries’ ability to pull through these hard times, make necessary changes to ensure survival and to continue to be a sought after product for news and entertainment alike.

Mr. Hyphen 2008


On October 4, 2008, six Asian American male contestants battled for the title of Mr. Hyphen 2008. With talents like slam poetry, singing and hip-hop dancing-- not to mention the sleepwear segment-- the six contestants wowed the audience. Contestants represented charities such as API Legal Outreach and the Asian American Donor Program, At the end of the night, Aristotle Garcia was crowned Mr. Hyphen, taking home $1000 for his chosen charity, the Filipino American Arts and Exposition.

While Mr. Hyphen was a fun event for the community, it’s also a smart move for Hyphen Magazine. Subscriptions were sold to attendees at the price of $5 for three issues, and in the lobby there was a booth selling Hyphen T-shirts, stickers and other paraphernalia. (Free advertising!) But those were only the most obvious benefits that Hyphen received from throwing the event. One of a magazine’s most valuable assets is the sense of community it provides. Magazines are extremely tailored to a narrow demographic, and readers feel as though the magazine “gets” them and often identify closely with their magazine of choice. The Mr. Hyphen event brought together the magazine’s community-- in their case, young Asian American artists and activists-- and allowed them to participate in an event that catered to their interests and passions, building the connection between magazine and reader. On the outreach side, Hyphen partnered with two up-and-coming Asian American designers to produce the fashion segment of the show, and community leaders were brought in as judges, including Louisa Liu (Miss Asian America 2008) and Vincent Pan of Chinese for Affirmative Action. Add to that the friends and family of the contestants (who mostly fall within the target demographic, but may not be Hyphen readers) and all those people who are just interested in seeing hot Asian American men strut their stuff, and you have the perfect opportunity to showcase Hyphen’s energy and creativity to people outside its immediate pool of subscribers. The event brought together art, activism, famous faces and just plain old fun, and created an opportunity for Hyphen fans to connect with each other over their favorite magazine.

614 magazine set to launch in April

There are roughly 150,000 residents in the city of Columbus, Ohio between the age of 25 and 35 and not a single publication that truly caters to their interests. Two men have taken to the initiative to change that. On April 1, 2009, a free monthly magazine is set to debut. 614 magazine, representing the area code of Columbus, will serve as much more than a general interest magazine, making sure it’s niche of readers are indulging in the areas of arts and culture it covers.

Though this may not be the best of times for the debut of a new print magazine, the publishers seem to believe they have found ways to be successful. Wayne T. Lewis and Clark Gaines have produced a 104-page pilot that profoundly describes what 614 magazine is all about to potential advertisers. How else do they plan on making it? The publishers believe it is all about quality. As long as they are creating something with taste that is modern and clean, not to mention free, then it should very well take off successfully.

Photobucket

On the magazines website, 614columbus.com, potential readers are invited to bring their ideas to the table. People are being questioned as to what they would like to see and get out of the magazine. This is a trend taking off in the magazine industry. Lucia Moses, a senior editor covering the magazine industry, sees this type of shift in the editorial process in other magazines. For example, National Geographic readers can send in their own photos and then vote for which ones they believe should run in the magazine.

Lewis and Gaines have a few other tricks up their sleeves to get the ball rolling. Within the editorial staff, there is certified culinarian Angela Theado and Adventure Girl Stephanie Reighart. With the expertise of these two on staff, readers will be eager to fly high in the sky on a hang gliding mission and make it home just in time to throw a fabulous, elegant dinner party.

614 magazine is set to be distributed at over 250 locations that will inevitably fall into the hands of the target audience. There are also going to be stainless steel displays at over 100 of the set locations that will aid in driving 25,000 copies of the publication in the face of readers.

Despite the current economic situation, Lewis and Gaines are making an effort to grab readers in an exciting and unique way. There is a lot of faith in the future of 614 magazine and there seems to be no doubt in the minds of those behind this project that it will fail.

Play time is over


In March earlier this year, New York Times' quarterly sports magazine "Play," was a finalist for the prize in general excellence at the National Magazine Awards. Yet just nine months later, the final buzzer rang, and the clock ran out on Play in November.

First published in February 2006, Play along with "T Style" and "Key," were introduced with the intention of bringing in luxury goods advertising for the Times. This strategy however hasn't been very successful for Play, and according to some reports was "bleeding cash." While Mark Bryant, editor of Play, has repeatedly told reporters that the magazine has been breaking even, editorial director Gerry Marzorati said otherwise: "“It was losing hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years and when you’re not going to see that turn around, that’s the problem."

In an attempt to separate itself from other sports magazine such as Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine, Play was much more focused on the artistic aspect of sports, especially in how they staged and composed their photographs. Their content was nuanced and off the beaten path, and offered something that most other sports magazine didn't. And yet despite the unique perspective and the circulation of nearly 1.6 million of the Sunday Times, it couldn't avoid the fate of so many other magazines, and was the first sports magazine in recent times to do so.

The shuttering of Play, has more to do with the newspaper industry than anything. With advertising and circulation falling for newspapers, the Times had to make cuts, and Play was just the first to go. While it is unclear whether other newspaper magazines will meet the same fate, it is clear that if those magazines don't bring in some sort of revenue soon, they will. The Wall Street Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer launched luxury magazines this year, while the Boston Globe launched the "OT," a sports magazine centered on "Our Town, Our Team." We'll have to wait and see whether or not these new launches will be successful editorially and in bringing in revenue for these newspaper.

Hopefully Play, or another magazine in the same mold as Play, can find life apart from the the New York Times. It offered fresh insight and a different perspective into the world of sports. And hopefully with the right mix of capable leaders, it could bring in the kind of advertising that can keep it afloat.

Magazine and Book Have A Baby

In a first-quarter recession/obsession, let the journalist’s pre-New Year's resolution come in a tight little package of hope - "Never despair; but if you do, work on in despair," said philosopher Edmund Burke. Additionally, Mr. Magazine offers more than a glimmer of hope in his recent blog posting as he sites a post-9/11 New Yorker article poking a pin-hole of light in the end of the dark tunnel. Mr. Magazine writes, "For those of you who are feeling the pain of today’s economic crisis, you will find solace in reading James Surowiecki’s article titled Let the Bad Times Roll. Here is one quote from the article, ‘But history suggests that for new magazines hard times are good times.’”
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2001/09/03/010903talk_the_financial_page?printable=true

A majority of the major titles from Automobile Magazine to U.S. News and World Report keep one hand waving for help above the rising tide by launching on-line accompaniments to their print publication, but other publications are taking an alternative route – Book + Magazine = Bookazine.

Of which, the best example is recently folded alternative country music magazine out of Seattle befittingly titled No Depression. Previously published six times a year, No Depression relaunched as a bookazine and will now run two times a year in a paperback-bound, large-format read with no advertising and cost $20. In an interview with The News & Observer, “Dave Hamrick, associate director of UT Press, hopes that readers won't shy away from the higher cost, given the new format and its lack of advertising.” Magazines have long-time been collector’s items for their subscribers and Hamrick desires that the bookazine will encourage more cataloging.

Similar hopes surrounded the creation of Shell, a hair and beauty bookazine. The Times of Malta paints Shell as “a coffee-table book with a difference…a cross between an art publication and magazine content. It is 70 per cent pictorial, resulting from about 24 photo shoots, producing about 100 images.” Mastermind behind the bookazine, Pierre Camille, told reporter Fiona Galea Debono, "Unfortunately, so many good magazines end up in the bin..." But Shell should not have the same predicament.”

Bookazines not only spawn out of economic crisis, but also out of environmental consciousness. Loft, a Nordic bookazine offers a look into life-styles in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The quarterly publication boasts, “‘BOOKAZINE’ because we want to create something worth keeping.” Loft leads by example against the common current of reading disposable material contributing to global crisis and continual waste of irreplaceable resources. In an effort to create a timeless publication, Loft also works toward a sustainable future.

Bookazines are not a complete wave of the future. In 2008, Mother Earth News published its second bookazine in six years, Mother Earth News Bookazine: A Guide to Home Energy Savings, which is a collection of their informative articles. Likewise, Jaguar, Ferrari and Porsche have published bookazines with various publishing houses as their wing-men to catalog years of hot-rod excellence. Dennis Publishing released a FaceBook bookazine, following 15 previous publishings of similar nature on topics ranging from the Ipod to men's fitness.

This bookazine baby is another way magazine publishers are filling the glass half full. Mr. Magazine gives optimism again in his interview with David Carey, Group President at Condé Nast. Carey offers, “Out of these periods of time new ways of doing business emerges…new thinkers, new readers…”

MADE FOR YOU BY YOU





JPG magazine is a San Francisco based publication that is taking a new personal approach to what a photography magazine is by featuring photos and stories almost entirely from its online community of photographers, who can easily be you. Its tagline is “Your World in Pictures”, and that’s exactly what JPG is all about.

Celebrating its nineteenth issue and two year anniversary this month, the online community of photographers that JPG has created around the world is growing strong, showing the different ways that the internet is helping print magazine’s vision for itself expand. Photographers who sign up to be in JPG’s online community capture photos based on themes that the magazine has for a particular issue, and the photographers try to interpret those themes in their own distinctive way. For example, the most recent issue has themes of faith, delectables, and night time.

The whole process includes the photographers taking pictures, and then uploading their top photos on the magazine’s website, where the online community votes on their favorite ones. Then, the JPG editors look at the photos with the highest votes, and filter them down until they reach the most captivating, innovative images that best tie with the theme. Finally, the best of the best are proudly published into the magazine for thousands to marvel over. The photographers that are chosen get 100 dollars, a free subscription, and of course, bragging rights.

For their last twelve issues, they’ve had over a million photos submitted, and over 180,000 photographers in their online community. The photographers are from all over the world, having their top ten cities be London, at the top, followed by New York, San Francisco, Chicago, West Hollywood, Toronto, Brooklyn, Sydney, Seattle, and Melbourne. Having JPG take this approach to its publication is giving an opportunity for cross-country collaborating and building a close relationship with the magazine, giving people the feeling of being apart of something big.

Not to undermine the work that’s put in by the JPG staff, but the community of photographers are truly the heart of the magazine, while the staff are the ones who take care of the skin and bones of production. This approach to a photography magazine is different because other magazines on the newsstands with them are usually “how-to” guides on taking great pictures, how to use a certain type of software, or a catalog of new camera and gadgets. JPG does include tips on photography or special photo-related projects at the end, but isn’t their main focus.

Flipping through the pages of the magazine, you don’t only see amazing pictures, but you can also learn about those who are behind the lens and the subjects of the photos through the captions or interviews. The captions the photographers write either give a history or information on the photo and sometimes give an inside scoop of what it took for them to get that perfect shot.

Seeing all the different images and getting to know the little back stories from the photographers is like going on a mini vacation for only 5.99, because the photos are potentially shot of anything, anywhere at anytime. Just in their recent issue, you can see photos from Slovenia, Italy, Sri Lanka, and Puerto Rico.

For example, in their recent faith issue, someone going through the magazine can learn about different religions, ways of worship, sanctuaries, what parts of the world believe in what just by looking at the pictures and captions. JPG is amazingly a celebration of art, culture, people, and expression all in one trying to fully engage its audience through the power of imagery.

JPG’s tone and voice changes from issue to issue based on their themes, but range from hilarious to intimate, chilling to heart-warming. Opening JPG is the world through the eyes of the featured photographers, but gives other readers a chance to step inside a realm they’ve never seen before or change your own perspectives of looking at the world.

Check out their website at:
www.jpgmag.com
(Photos used in this blog were taken from the JPG website, and were submitted for the FAITH theme for the recent Dec/Jan issue)

Music Magazines: US v. UK

The United States has long enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with England when it comes to music. Both nations have birthed the most influential bands and movements in rock history: England can claim The Beatles, we can claim Bob Dylan; England has London in 1977, we have San Francisco in 1967, and the list goes on. With two countries so steeped in rock 'n' roll history, it follows that both America and England should have magazines that reflect their home country's attitude toward popular music.

The grandfather of the genre is Rolling Stone. Before RS came along, music magazines were associated with fan clubs and screaming teenage girls. Rolling Stone was not originally intended as a magazine strictly about music; their philosophy from the beginning was to cover not only rock 'n' roll, but the ideals that it embodies. While their coverage can range from music to movies to politics to a series of small-town murders in a single issue, they are still thought of as the preeminent music magazine in the United States. When they do focus on music, they have a vast array to choose from. Rolling Stone has not only been around longer than most music magazines, but most magazines in general, and have gathered many different kinds of readers along the way. They have a wide range of and interests to appeal to, so they bounce back and forth between new and old acts from all types of genres.

First in sales figures, but still second in reputation, is Spin. A generation apart, Spin is Rolling Stone's rowdy son. Spin posesses a lot of the same ideals as Rolling Stone, but is clearly aimed at a younger generation. Spin focuses more sharply on music than Rolling Stone, filling each issue with entirely music-themed coverage, except for a few movie/game reviews or other notes on pop culture. Where Rolling Stone has grown with its original audience, Spin has always served college-age music lovers by embracing the same journalistic sensibilities that Rolling Stone made a name for itself on. Spin focuses on younger, newer musicians, and writes about them in a professional manner, but with a little more attitude and style than a Rolling Stone journalist might. Spin leans toward contemporary rock and hip-hop, and is devoted almost exclusively to new artists. When they do cover older musicians or ones from genres far outside the mainstream, they are ones that have influenced the here and now of music.


Things are different across the pond. The two top music magazines, Kerrang! and NME, are still stalled at the 'fan magazine' stage.

Published in the U.K. since 1952, NME (short for New Musical Express) is a weekly music magazine. Though the content can lean towards the sensational, NME is still thought of as the U.K.'s closest answer to Rolling Stone. The magazine is printed on newsprint, and the design is bold and in-your-face, but stylish. The site looks similar to the physical magazine, and is constantly updated the latest music news and gossip. NME magazine is also part of a larger empire, with television channels, radio stations, and even clubs bearing the magazine's name and logo.



Kerrang! is another popular music magazine in England. Though NME has tried to distance itself from its tabloid past with recent overhauls of design and content, Kerrang! has embraced it's rag-mag reputation. The difference in editorial content between the two magazines is vast, but their personalities are similar.

Kerrang! began as a heavy metal magazine in the early 1980s. Though they have expanded their coverage since then, traces of its hardcore roots can be seen in their choice of cover stories. The types of music they cover now is a little more eclectic, but Kerrang! still focuses on rock bands with a harder edge, be it in sound or attitude.

When it comes to layout, the magazine is classic tabloid: lots of capital letters and exclamation points, oversized pull quotes, and a "cut-and-paste" look about it. The coverage takes itself far less seriously than NME or any music magazine in the states. K! relies heavily on gossip to fuel their features, which are often not very long. Kerrang! is also more locally-focused than NME: while NME branches out to cover both national acts that have made it big and international acts whose popularity has spread to England, K! is more likely to put a band only known in the U.K. on the cover. The writers and editors of this magazine know that their readers don't come to them for revealing and poignant retrospective on My Chemical Romance's career. Kerrang! is aimed toward young people who just want to rock out and have fun.

America is once again experiencing a British Invasion, much of which can be attributed to these magazines. Bands heavily featured in British music magazines, like The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys, have crept onto the hipster rader in the U.S in the last five years. Though they are miles apart in terms of philosophies, these magazines all have the same ideal at their core: good music can change your life, but only if you know about it.

The Worst is Yet to Come


"2009 will be the cataclysmic year for sure," says Michela O'Connor Abrams, president and publisher of Dwell magazine in San Francisco.
After a year of drastic economic downturn that upended the already panicking magazine industry, the coming months will prove who stays and who goes in the already excruciating competition of magazine publishing.
It began with the lay offs, then quickly progressed to the downsizing and folding of several notable titles. CosmoGIRL, started in 1999 by the now editor of Seventeen (which is also struggling to stay afloat), will cease production at the end of the year. S.I. Newhouse decided to cut Men's Vogue back to a twice-a-year supplement to Vogue. In fact, Condé Nast -- famous for its glamorous personality and liberal expense accounts-- has been forced to scale back in more ways than one in response to the economy. Its employee holiday luncheon at NYC's Four Seasons Hotel was canceled, and rumors have been floating around that car service to shuttle the employees to and from work will be reined in as well.
Even the Vanity Fair Oscar party, the most extravagant and top tier of Oscar bashes, will be significantly downsized. "The party will be a much more intimate affair than in years past; we're going to scale back the guest list considerably," said editor Graydon Carter in an official press realease. "We'll celebrate Hollywood's big night the way we did when we first threw the party 15 years ago -- it will be a cozier, more understated event." Only the most A-list of the A-list stars will be invited…sorry, Tara Reid.
While the surreal office environment at Condé Nast gets a jolt of reality, one wonders if maybe the magazine industry had gotten a little too comfy with the clothing allowances and three martini lunches. Now that they've been brought back down to earth, it's the perfect moment for a little reflection on the next steps. It appears that one of the greatest challenges facing magazine publishing is how to reconcile the classic, glossy comfort of a print edition with the pressing need to go online. With advertisers surely hurting in this economy as much as the magazines themselves, it might be a more economical option to buy cheaper online ads. If only magazines could figure out a truly effective online advertising strategy.
While some magazines attempt to use the internet to draw in a larger audience, others are going up-market to grab the attentions of recession-proof millionaires and billionaires who didn't lose their shirts in investment banks. In the November 30 issue of The New York Times business section, reporter Stephanie Clifford wrote of magazines flaunting their luxury merchandise in a time of financial crisis. In fashion magazines, a new term has been coined -- Recessionista -- to describe the girl who stays chic and on-trend in the face of unemployment and a worthless stock portfolio. Instead of those $500 Jimmy Choos this holiday season, why not buy the comparable $300 version from Stuart Weitzman? Perhaps, to some, that really is a sacrifice.
If Michela O'Connor Abrams is right, and things just get exponentially worse, it might be for the best. The glut of magazines will be streamlined to halt some of the paper waste brought on by a men's, teen, and home version of so many major titles. And publishers might stop dragging their feet in creating an online business plan. Of course, none of that bodes well for those of us looking for jobs in magazine publishing.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Is Nothing Sacred? Magazine Covers from Election 2008

by Leticia Garcia

Just three weeks after the election, the images of president elect Barack Obama have not stopped appearing on magazine covers. Without a doubt, the frequency of political figures on covers have not changed since modern magazines were conceived, however it is the content that especially stood out this year. Since this has been most controversial presidential election in history, it is expected that the covers during this election would stand out to reflect the nation’s anticipation. We have seen the presidential candidates in so many different depictions ranging from Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama lounging naked on the cover of Radar to depicting Obama as a Superhero on Rolling Stone. With such bold magazine covers in print, the race became a media popularity contest with Barack Obama gaining the majority of the covers and, thus, the most outstanding characterizations.

Not only did the media take a lot of liberties with magazines this year, they also got into some pretty deep water this past July. The New Yorker’s July issue depicts in cartoon satire of Barack and Michelle Obama as Islamic terrorists in the Oval office with Osama bin Laden’s picture in the background. During the press release illustrator, Barry Blitt, insists that this "satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." As a satire this cover goes beyond the usual political satirical realm to a completely slanderous level with shocked reactions from the Obama campaign and supporters alike. Obama campaign spokesman, Bill Burton called it “tasteless and offensive.” In such a media-driven campaign and the boldly opinionated covers that followed, it becomes a question as to how much freedom the publication media should get.

Since the start of the contemporary magazine, presidential candidates have taken the spotlight. Although not always shown in the most favorable light, these covers usually are mild and neutral. If the cover was “controversial” at best, it was with mild satirical drawings sometime with political party mascots in the background. Never was Franklin D. Roosevelt on the cover with a burning an American flag or naked. This was a first year for candidates to be depicted as a movie character, from Men in Black to Robert Neville from I Am Legend. Admittedly they portray such an obvious portrait of our society’s craving for an elaborate characterization behind a political figure.
There have always been solid sales with presidential covers, there have been connections drawn with print media coverage and election results.

According to Dr. Stuart Crane the next president will be the one with the most covers in the months leading up to the election. In the presidential election this year Obama was on the cover of Time alone 7 times versus McCain who only held 5 Time covers. So, if the number of magazine covers reflects the popularity of a candidate, then the characterization worth a thousand words. With such elaborate characterizations of Obama the presidency was a show of characters the population wanted from a candidate.

With an injured current economic standing, the presidential candidate cannot just be an image on the cover, but rather reflect a persona that will allow change. On the cover of Rolling Stone, Obama is standing at attention with a white aura surrounding him. Using the language of superheroes the cover gives the audience the feeling that he can indestructible and powerful. Post election Obama’s covers have become an homage to the history of powerful presidents. With Obama on the cover exactly as Franklin D. Roosevelt, there is hope for this president elects future. In reflecting an the recent covers, one cannot just hope that they will continue to be in a positive light and continue to inspire the hope of the country.

CosmoGirl! to Fold After December


Hearst Communications, Inc. president, Cathie Black, announced the closing of CosmoGirl!, last October. The end of this teen magazine indicates a sign of declining economic times, a shift in girls’ reading trends, or both. December will be the last issue.

Though nine-year-old CosmoGirl! was the largest newsstand selling, monthly teen magazine, ad pages fell 15.5% by October and circulation was down 1.4% at 1.4 million. Hearst folded three titles this year­. The first was Quick & Simple, a women’s service magazine, the second, CosmoGirl! and the third, O at Home. CosmoGirl! is also the third Teen magazine to close in the last few years, following Elle Girl of Filipacchi Media, and Teen People, of Time, Inc. in 2006.

Ad pages for Hearst’s Seventeen were down by 8.8% and Conde Nast’s Teen Vogue were down by 5.8%. CosmoGirl! had been in third place of these top three teen magazines. Mediaweek’s senior editor, Lucia Moses, attributes the drop in teen print magazines to the internet’s success in reaching readers’ needs.

Teen magazines aren’t the only genres struggling. “A magazine is folding every week and this will accelerate,”said Michela O’Connor Abrams, President and Publisher of Dwell magazine and chairperson of the American Magazine Conference. Other magazines cut back this year include Conde Nast’s Men’s Vogue and Filipacchi Media’s Home.

This fall marks ten years since Atoosa Rubenstein and team created CosmoGirl! Rubenstein was the youngest Editor in Chief in the history of Hearst Magazines. “I was 26 years old and felt that smart girls with attitude needed a magazine that spoke directly to them,” said Rubenstein. She created the CosmoGirl! logo on her bedroom floor with lipstick tubes, markers, and a glue stick.

CosmoGirl! publisher, Vicki Wellington will work on a new Food Network Magazine starting this month, and editor, Susan Schulz will also continue at Hearst, working on special projects. CosmoGirl!.com will continue and subscribers will receive Seventeen instead.

FIRST HALF 2008 AD PAGES %CHNG
CosmoGirl! 298.23 -14.5
Seventeen 376.84 -5.7
Teen Vogue 517.81 4.5

FIRST HALF 2006 AD PAGES %CHNG
CosmoGirl! 363.56 4.0
ElleGirl 387.14 18.2
Seventeen 440.09 -2.7
Teen People 302.19 -14.4
Teen Vogue 486.24 12.4

Sources: www.mediaweek.com, www.folio.com, www.myspace.com

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Magazine 2.0

As we all become more environmentally conscientious, the magazine industry is scrambling to find more eco-friendly alternatives without spending a fortune. The digital world is a new but rapidly growing trend amongst magazine publications across the country. The hybrid of digital and print magazines for companies have allowed them to provide an enhanced experience for their readers. As the business and entertainment world continue to move in the digital direction, applying online features like the digital magazine is one technology that will continue to grow.
Magazines like 7x7, Men’s Health, Spin, and Elle Decor have already jumped on the digital band wagon. All four magazines offer digital versions of their publication, exact replicas of the printed magazine in an interactive version. This has enabled them to expand their circulation and to reach more people in more areas. Through the supplementary digital magazine, all three publications have boosted readership and ad sales. By providing a digital application magazine can provide a user-friendly design that offers a whole new level of entertainment. Digital vendors like Zmag and Zendition have noticed an increase in readership for their clients who have hired them. “[Digital magazines] enables companies to very easily add interactive features, analyze what works, and constantly improve the way they present content,” said Zmags CEO Jens Kartsoft. Through multimedia ads and content, digital magazines have also helped publications to promote their brand, not solely their print magazine.
Digital magazines are also modifying the advertisement industry as well. With interactive magazines, companies may now expand their accessibility to their audience. Links to their websites or directing them to buy a specific product are now available through the digital versions of magazines. The publishers also benefit from this feature as they have more leverage in negotiation by offering features to potential advertisers that not many other magazines have. In providing a digital version of their magazine, publishers and advertisers are ensured that their publication is accessible from virtually anywhere in the world.
As we continue to see magazine companies add digital components for their publications, multimedia technology will also continue to evolve. With all that is possible in the digital age, magazines will be able to be a part of a constant evolution of new technologies. As the print industry attempts to minimize cost and production, digital magazines provide a world of opportunities in an enhanced and efficient way.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Significant of Paper


As magazines evolve with today’s media trends, the necessity for using paper in the future tends to dwindle. When you ask someone what they think what will happen to paper in the future you frequently get the same response “paper will no longer be in existence because digital technology will overtake.” So, how significant is the paper for the publication industry? Can we live without paper if we continue to live in a digital technology world? Today you have books, magazines, and documents all available in digital media. On the other hand, you have some industries that are anti-digital and are still using paper. Clearly paper has been a significant invention and has been a great contribution for publishing industry. And moving on to digital and leaving paper behind will have a great impact on the way we advertise, how we profit and of course, our content.

When you look through the pages on a print magazine you observe many advertisements. Some you scratch and sniff, some have di-cuts as part of their advertisement, and others you lift to see underneath. These previous examples are the many wonderful flexible things how you are able to control and use paper. In comparison, you have SPIN magazine that has uploaded their magazine online, where you could link to your advertisement’s websites and start shopping. But is that a better experience than print advertisements? Of course both have their disadvantages and advantages.

Economically, digital is cheaper and more environmentally friendly. Today print production prices are increasing and not everyone uses recyclable paper. After all, the world surely cannot afford to keep loosing trees at the rate it’s going.

Reading content on paper is different from reading content on digital. One example could be the length of the content; you have more freedom to extend your content on paper than what you do on digital. Another example is the type of content; you feel more obligated to use content that is easy to the eye on screen than when you are reading on paper.

These previous examples are few of the disadvantages and advantages of how paper is significant. Whether, you would like to believe it or not paper does make a difference. So, are we ready to let paper die out?

Is There Really 101 New Tricks To A Great Sex That No ONE Knows About?

Bitch: A Success Story

It’s a tough world out there for an indie magazine. Print is dying, the economy is getting worse and worse, everything is going corporate. Things may be fine for Vogue and Newsweek, but independent magazines are dropping like flies; last year, the popular indie mag Punk Planet closed its doors. Just last week, it looked like Bitch Magazine, the smart, fun, non-profit feminist pop-culture magazine, was going to follow them. As a non-profit, Bitch depends heavily on reader donations, and they needed to raise $40,000 by October 15 in order to print their next issue- not an easy feat. But publisher Debbie Rasmussen and editorial director Andi Zeisler reached out to readers. A traditional fundraising “thermometer”, in the shape of a wiener dog (get it?), was placed at the top of the Bitch website. They shot a video asking for donations, in which they explain how serious the situation is, but also remain upbeat, making jokes about “helping our wiener grow”. “Wiener people gonna realize that independent magazines need money?” asks Zeisler in the video, causing Rasmussen to burst into laughter.

And it worked. The story quickly made the rounds on the blogosphere. The community responded, and in just three short days, Bitch’s readers had donated $40,000. At last count they’ve reached $55,000- and this during an economic recession.

The whole process has resulted in the operations of the magazine becoming much more transparent to readers. The last issue of the magazine didn’t sell as well as expected, which created the crisis. “Bitch operates without any financial cushion,” says founder Lisa Jervis in a comment on the original “Save Bitch” blog post. “We have always been a hand-to-mouth shoestring organization, making do and doing the best we can with scarce resources.” Many readers who donated expressed concern that there would have to be an emergency fundraiser before each issue to keep the magazine going; Rasmussen responded that as a non-profit, they will always rely on reader donations– “Just, ideally, in a less dramatic way.” Directors and editors have shared their ideas for a multimedia Bitch with readers, and in return readers have provided their critique, feedback, and even some ideas of their own.

Since its first issue, Bitch has been beating the odds with great journalism and a strong community. Only 10% of magazines continue to publish past their first 10 years; Bitch is currently in year 13. This recent fundraising feat just goes to show that readers still need this magazine, and are willing to donate their money to help it out. Rasmussen called the overwhelming reader response "honoring and humbling", but if anything, the fact that Bitch could raise $40,000 in three days is a testament to the quality of the magazine and its importance to readers. In such difficult times, it's inspiring to hear a story like Bitch's.

A Paper Drop in the Global Bucket


Digging into the question of sustainable magazine publishing practices, I stumbled across some very excited progress in the use of sustainable paper productions for magazines. For the past 10 years magazines have merely talked about making the change or starting to think about sustainability, but in the past year with rising pressure, there have been many new advances. One can only wonder, is it too little too late in the fight?
We have always been mildly content with the baby steps that magazines have taken in using sustainable methods in printing, but in reading some recent mission statements from high profile magazines, the heat is on. Once I loooked at Time, Inc.’s sustainability report I was excited to learn that they are taking some real efforts to change their 127 publications to a more positive image and effect. There is no doubt that the recent shift in global eco-concerns have made the magazines sweat on whether or not they can afford to sustain themselves in an eco-threatened market.
For many years magazines have gotten away with only publishing a “green” issue about once a year, but some have missed the goal of the whole agenda. If gigantic magazines are unable to commit to publishing just one green issue a year, then they are not setting a good reputation that they will pay for it in the long run. Although the green issues have not been selling that well, they might have to make the sacrifice for the sake of the environment not just a fleeting trend. However as Jeff Bercovici points out in several articles that magazine ethos and practices are in fact an oxymoron. Vanity Fair within the past couple of years have put out journalistic hard hitting “green issues” but did not even put it on recycled paper. Also by putting Madonna on the cover trivializes the real images that should be at the forefront of global warming and greenhouse emissions. Without any real commitment to the simple cut down to paper used, is there any way to take this issue seriously. According to Co-op America there are every increasing magazine that do make the jump, and not just for one issue but make the commitment.
With all the heat on publishers the pressure on advertisers have become very realistic, but not good enough. With the Aveda Corporation going green meant more than paper, when in 2003-04 Aveda established an environmental media strategy that meant that their advertisers had to fill out a survey about their own environmental practices. If more publishers were to follow suit there would be an evolution in the way we view eco-friendly practices. It would not be for the few, but rather for the masses.
Also the introduction last year to ReMix, Recycling Magazines is Excellent, made a mockery of magazines own responsibility. All the information is focused on the consumer to just recycle their magazines. This however falls short when the thousands of magazines in production every day are unable to use recycled paper. I will admit that if everyone recycled more, hence creating more efficient recycling practices; however beneficial more education is to recycling, it is not just the consumer that needs to think about these issues.
With all of this considered there is the influence of technology and the Internet that has helped in the production, however the age of Internet users is still fairly young. If magazine publishers can commit to using green paper and mission statement that affects advertisers, consumers and the issues, then a wider range of ages will have no choice but to pay attention to the stand they are making.
With many other magazines pulling through on the challenge, Time, Inc for example, there is no reason for other major players to get left in the trash bin. If they do, it may be the antiquity of paper production and the gradual end of outdated production. More pressure needs to be put on the publishers themselves:
And if not now, then when?

Third World Chic




Vogue India recently received a lot of attention in the media, however probably not the kind the year old magazine was looking for. The magazine received a lot of flack for displaying designer bags and clothes—a Hermes handbag and a Burberry umbrella, among other items—on the poorest of India. One photo included a poor Indian woman carrying a baby wearing a hundred dollar Fendi bib; while the average person in India earns only 500 dollars each year, according to a Stanford study.

Photographers and editors alike made sure that these pictures weren’t shot in an air-conditioned studio, they were in a rural, dire background, (an unsuspecting eye might not even spot that the models were wearing the designer goods). It seems that the sad looking background and modest looking “models” were just a prop to make sure the designer items stood out and looked good.


Equally controversial is the fact that the photo “models” weren’t even named, while the designer swag was specifically identified.


“Lighten up,” editor in chief of Vogue India Priya Tanna said in a telephone interview to the New York Times. “Vogue is about realizing the “power of fashion” she said, and the shoot was saying that “fashion is no longer a rich man’s privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful,” she said. But is using some of India’s poorest as props to designer goods in good taste? And the last time I checked the kind of fashion that Vogue deals in is still a privilege of the rich.

“Earlier this summer clothes designed by India's poorest and most downtrodden women - 'night-soil carriers' from the country's untouchable caste - were modeled on a New York catwalk”, said Pamela Timms a writer for The Independent. So it seems this ‘Third World Chic’ might become a trend.

Pavan K Varma, former diplomat and author of 'The Great Indian Middle Class, noted that right now “money is fashionable” in India. And Vogue India is, no doubt, an extension of that mentality. But is hyper-consumerism and high end baby bibs, that they’ll never be able to afford, what India needs?

Random Appreciation: When Content Dictates Format



When we conceive of a typical arts magazine, we imagine it as a source of art-related news, complete with reviews, gallery information and articles concerned with the reporting and discussion of the arts. This format reflects the classic understanding of what the modern magazine is designed to accomplish: to educate and offer vicarious experience.

But what happens when the arts magazine becomes the gallery and the artist becomes the journalist? When the reader can be the writer and illustrations become the basis for content, instead of the other way around?

The result is an eloquently bound platform for creative expression.  An avant-garde journal inspired by unsystematic presentation fittingly titled Dossier, which is French for “file”.

In the words of the editors and founders, Skye Parrott and Katherine Krause, the publication is “an open forum in which to bring together fashion, art, literature, photography, design and food.”

This Brooklyn based, bi-annual magazine issued its first edition this past spring, launching a comprehensive website along side it.  And according to Dossierjournal.com, the print version is now distributed to over 22 countries.  

Skye says she and Katherine, who have been friends since they were fourteen, dreamt up the idea a long time ago but have only just brought it to life. Upon assembling a faction of artistically diverse people, hand-picked from an already established group of friends, and friends of friends, the editors gave full artistic freedom to the contributors. A rare privilege in the industry, but one that makes for interesting content. 

Some might argue that such creative autonomy could potentially lead to a muddled compilation of content devoid of direction. Samir Husni of mr.magazine.com, although gives praise, takes a similar stance when he says in his review of the magazine that:

While articles and pictures provide for great journalism, the thread uniting all of the content isn't there. This is expected for the first issue. I hope that Dossier will find a better way to organize their files, because it is definitely a filing cabinet to keep.”

But isn’t what gives the journal artistic merit the very fact that it promotes the randomness, the freewheeling nature of art in itself? Where the goal is to break free of the limitations of mainstream journalism, Dossier inspires artists to do what they do best, be unconventional. Isn’t that what most modern art is about in the first place? 

Skye told me over the phone that the magazine’s purpose is to provide “real fashion with high-end writing,” solid literary content with interesting visuals. Instead of just reviewing the arts, they seek to involve the arts, showcase them.    

We are in an age when the definition of a journalist has been blurred and is constantly shifting, when more and more; the general public demands a voice in the media. The natural progression is to embrace this interaction. Dossier welcomes this concept by encouraging people to participate in their creative process. But beyond that, the magazine embodies a sense of community support, offering up its pages to the everyday artist, the up-and-comer and well as to the practiced. And not just for the photographer or the painter, but the poet, the designer, musician, the creative writer. In essence, Dossier is a sanctuary for quality art that might otherwise not have a home. 

Color Gracing the Covers





Predominantly white women are on the covers of women’s magazines. While scavenging through magazine covers dating 20-40 years ago the number of ethnic faces are scarce. As we get to more present dates the increased amount of women of color that are shown is still a minority compared to the faces of the white women that are featured.

According to a 2008 communication research called, “A Changing View: Representation and Effects of the Portrayal of Women of Color in Mainstream Women’s Magazines”, in 1999, 9 percent of minorities, such as Black, Latina and others were represented and 99 percent were white.

In that research it also stated that in 2004, 17 percent of minorities were represented and 83 percent were white.

In that 5 year span there was an 8 percent increase. This increase may be so due to more women of color being in the spotlight or the media.

In 1968 Glamour featured Katiti Kironde II, an African American model. It was the first time a national women’s monthly magazine had a women of color on its cover. Kironde appearance on the cover made Glamour history of being the all-time high in sales record.

Also n 1996 Tyra Banks was the first African American woman to appear on the cover of GQ Magazine and Sports Illustrated. She prides herself on being one of the first women of color breaking boundaries and history by being on those covers.

Those two names and many others have become staples in the magazine business. They paved the way for models such as Jarah Mariano who was the first Asian women to be a Victoria’s Secret model.

“As a women color I have become somewhat immune to the fact that there is rarely ever a girl on the cover of a magazine that looks like me,” said Mabel Locket a Filipino SF resident 27. “ I feel that the strides that we are making as a society of having and seeing people of color out there in the media is great, but when will I ever see a Filipino model?”

As more and more ethnicities are being seen in the media, the more they are in high demand to be seen and to becoming a household name or brand.


The WTF of the Week


"The John McCain Sarah Palin Newsweek Cover is a Total Bore!" blared Mark Pasetsky's site "Cover Awards - The Media Industry's Guilty Pleasure" of the August 29 shot of the presidential nominee and his cohort.

And if it was a pendulum swing that Pasetsky and the public desired - it was a 180 degrees that he and we got. The September 8, 2008 Newsweek to hit the stands sported a VP nominee Palin touting - a baby? An American flag? The femur of a T-Rex? None of the above...a rifle.

Pasetsky goes on to say that magazines like Newsweek and TIME should be ashamed having resorted to producing the exact same covers in consecutive weeks for each side of the party to avoid criticism and seem unbiased. Without strapping on a bustle and attempting to evoke the fairness doctrine, is it too off base to mention, perhaps, equal coverage? It seems like a dated concept with TIME drinking Pepsi and Newsweek drinking Coca-Cola and the public drinking campaign Kool-aid, but some might relish in the bland portrayal of candidates not as icons but as intellectuals.

According to PNDPulse and Photo District News the Palin photo was a cutout of a six-year-old Alaska Stock photo shot by Judy Patrick in June 2002. (http://www.pdnpulse.com/2008/09/newsweeks-palin.html) Newsweek made no effort to conceal the usage of a borrowed photo from the past. But for a publication so capable of acquiring their own shots, the editorial intentions are somewhat unclear. The photo was interpreted by some as sexy. Is America supposed to fear Sarah Palin or feel safe under a mother who fears no moose?

Whether a voter wants Palin in the bleachers, in the bedroom or on the ballot, guns are a fringe issue. Her stance may be a telltale indicator of her character, but gun control at large would take constitutional reform.

In the September 8, 2008 Newsweek article Assistant Managing Editor Kathy Deveny writes, "If I'm really honest with myself, I'm mostly just happy that there's another woman on the national political stage. I think it's good for my 8-year-old daughter, who has called Hillary Clinton her idol. She doesn't love Hillary because of her health-care policy or pro-choice stance: she loves Hillary because she thinks girls rule. The more powerful women there are on the national stage, the better it is for all women, because this is a game of numbers."


Muddied as it may be whether the shot was pejorative, a nod of approval or just a memo from the circulations department saying to increase sales at all costs is apparently a null point. Palin could have been holding a missile and would still win the votes of the Lisa Frank club.

The issue is Newsweek missed the issue.

In this campaign cultural diversity rides in the backseat no matter if one is a conservative liberal or a liberal conservative. Case in point, if the nation's publications are going to pull peripheral dog-and-pony shows to the core, let the pendulum swing another 180 degrees. Mothers with 8-year-old daughters might be quick to turn the "Girls Rule" cheek to a "Boys Drool" shriek if Newsweek published a cover with Barack Obama holding a gun.

The Future of Advertising

A curious reader thumbing through the October 2008 issue of Wired Magazine may have noticed a heavy object halting the fan-like movement of the pages, forcing the seam open at the center. Each October issue of Wired included an insert with an exclusive Blu-Ray directors cut disc of COMA. A seven-part mini series that was created exclusively for mobile phones and the new line of VAIO notebooks by WIMO, Sony Electronics, and Microsoft.

On August 20, 2008 the COMA series premiered on Crackle.com, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Company and was later released to YouTube, Hulu, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T phone services.

In order to clarify the magazine insert to readers, WIMO and Sony explained what the Blu-Ray disc contained as well as the purpose behind its creation. "COMA was created on the belief that new technology demands original great entertainment," the advertisement said. Once the reader turned the insert over, a large picture of Sony's new VAIO FW notebook "featuring an advanced Blu-Ray disc drive" was featured with the star of COMA, Michael Madsen, on the VAIO screen.

The 3- to 5- minute "mobisodes" are the first of their kind, filmed with Sony High-Definition cameras and starring acclaimed actors, it is the most advanced content created specifically for mobile phones and the web to date. Available only online and through magazine inserts, the distribution of the series alone is unique.

But what does this mean for the magazine industry? In the midst of a waning economy and the increased drop in magazine ad revenue, the creative marketing ideas that have arisen out of this project have shown that the promotional opportunities are endless. Editors are concerned with increasing their ad revenue online but what if mobile programming continues to use magazine distribution in order to broaden their audience? This may be the symbiotic solution to the magazine industries increased financial woes. One thing is clear: the cross-promotion and distribution of COMA represents a change in traditional magazine advertising and the line between web content and editorial- for better or for worse- seems to be blending day by day.