The Difficulty of Starting a Magazine

Cheryl Woodward, author of ‘Starting and Running a Successful Newsletter or Magazine’, believes that nine out of ten new magazines fail.

With such an array of audience interests, why is it so hard to find a select group to read, purchase and contribute to a new magazine? Isn’t everybody looking for something new?

Dale Buss published an article in Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management in 2002 that listed ten reasons for magazine failure. The top three and most imperative ones being these:

• -No Audience
• -Weak initial funding
• -Lack of advertising

I have known a number of artists who have tried to start magazines and have had little to no success. The art itself and the development of an issue or two is all that they can call success.


Jon Nawby, singer/songwriter and former journalism major, started a magazine with a friend in the mid 90’s. Pump was an adult publication servicing the fitness and bodybuilding communities of the Midwest, specifically in Indiana. The magazine started in the garage of Nawby and he and his partner worked relentlessly to launch a decent first issue. $40,000 later, after purchasing photography equipment, printing and promoting, Pump was released. “It was a pretty successful launch,” said Nawby. “Though by the second issue we were already seeing circulation drop. We surmised that maybe there wasn’t quite as much demand for the beefcake fetish in the Midwest as we had anticipated.” Jon’s partner eventually left and he released the third and final issue by himself. Pump officially folded three weeks later.



A San Diego publication is holding on, steadying its pace and waiting for the right times to expose itself to the public. Abattoir Magazine, created by Matt Fraynd, allows itself to be a ‘platform for local artists, writers, photographers and musicians to use as a means of exposure’. There have been two issues published since November of 2006 and the third is on its way. The Magazine is small, free and colored. In one word, expensive. The problem with this publication is the lack of funding. “Each issue I printed 6,000 copies,” said Fraynd. “After $2,000 from advertising, the rest of the $22,000 came out of my pocket.” The staff consists of ten friends and there is no income, yet. With such a diverse spectrum of interests in San Diego and its need for a place to promote local art, Abattoir has all the potential in the world. www.myspace.com/abattoirmagazine

Magazine Profile: New Moon

It may not be new, but the mission behind New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and their Dreams, is refreshing.

New Moon is a bi-monthly publication edited by adolescent girls ages 8 to 14 and is geared for a readership of girls the same age. New Moon doesn’t focus on fashion, makeup, and on how to get the boy you’ve been crushing on to finally notice you-- like many of the magazine's competitors. Instead, the magazine boasts that they cover issues that truly matter to girls, like stories on politics (especially women in politics), profiles on girls living in different countries, health issues, science, art and fiction.

The Girls Editorial Board meets in Duluth Minnesota—The magazine’s headquarters--to edit entries submitted by girls from all over the world as well as content submitted by professional adult writers. This group of 20 or so adolescent girls also decides on the issue’s themes, designs and on which stories should make it into the publication.

New Moon was first established in 1993 after Publisher, Nancy Gruver, searched for a good resource that would help her twin daughters, then 11, invest in their voices and dreams. Upon coming up empty-handed, Gruver decided she would have to create the resource herself.

Each issue of New Moon features a theme such as coming of age, changes, superstitions, food or music each article revolves around, featuring both serious and lighter treatment of each of the topics.

Once a year, the magazine features its “25 Beautiful Girls” issue where it profiles 25 girls—submitted by friends and family members of the girls themselves—that demonstrate the girls’ “inner beauty.” These girls might have collected money for charities they felt strongly about, stuck-up for a kid that was picked on, or maybe overcame obstacles in her own life.

New Moon doesn't accept any advertising, which does jack of up the price--each issue costs $5.50-- but the no advertising policy also helps keep the publication's wholesome image. New Moon has won the 2006 Golden Lamp award as well as six Parents’ Choice Gold Awards.

Jane Magazine Folds: Who Cares?

In July, publishing giant Condé Nast announced it was folding Jane magazine after 10 years of production, for financial reasons. The final issue hit the racks last month, leaving a slew of 19-34 year old women who identified with its irreverent style devastated.

Borne out of Jane Pratt's Sassy magazine, which folded in 1994, Jane offered readers an edgy -- and at times sarcastic -- approach to a women's magazine, running articles such as Katy McColl's "Young, hot and divorced" and "If two white girls had been butchered, there would have been arrests that night."

Today, visitors to the Jane Web site, www.janemag.com, are redirected to its sister publication, Glamour, while Jane print subscribers were sent copies of either Glamour, Allure, or Lucky in an attempt to wean readers off their favorite read.

But a magazine as unique as Jane has a readership equally unique. So how do those readers feel when something they have become attached to is taken away? What fills the void? Are readers as fickle as the industry itself?

"I will miss it," said Lisa Tabet-Chavez, a former subscriber. "I liked that it was different from most of the mainstream fashion magazines. The jokes were more snarky, and the stories a bit edgier."

A reader for years, Jessica Wirth appreciated the "more interesting spins on the typical magazine topics" and the "sometimes socially or environmentally relevant exposés." But when asked if Jane was replaceable, Wirth's response was indifferent.

"It was nice while it lasted," she said. "I already subscribe to The Week, Entertainment Weekly and Ok!, so I think I'm set."

But those titles won't cut it for some former-Jane readers. Tabet-Chavez said a friend suggested Bust, which promises "an attitude that is fierce, funny, and proud to be female," while "BUSTing stereotypes about women since 1993." This month, the magazine's Web site urges visitors to "get your hands on our BUST!"

Another reader said she'll "honestly not" miss Jane, as it never really lived up to her expectations of "edgy and intelligent." Identified only as "Jen" in an anonymous email exchange, she suggested her ideal magazine doesn't yet exist.

"I will rip out the trashiest articles from Cosmo, blend it with the snarkier pieces from The Believer, and cut out pictures from Paper magazine to make my ultimate ideal rag," she said, before -- perhaps unwittingly -- exposing that very void left by Jane's demise.

"If you know of a magazine that's similar to Jane, let me know," she added.

A short History of the worlds most famous Fashion Magazine

VOGUE

Vogue magazine is one of the oldest and most prestigious fashion magazines and with over 100 years of history Vogue has become one of the most influential and glamorous fashion magazines of the twentieth century. With a high interest in fashion, Vogue has always been my choice of magazine, therefore I thought the History of this famous magazine would be some what interesting.

In 1909, an entrepreneurial New Yorker named Conde Nast took charge of a struggling society journal and transformed it into Vogue fashion magazine. In its beginning Vogue was a social gazette in the late nineteenth century. From this readers of Vogue saw an exploration of modern fashion photography and new visuals with exciting articles. From the runway to the pages of Vogue, fashion has never been more adequately documented. In its search for better ways to transmit fashion with clarity, grace, and glamour, Vogue has become the publication that contributed most to the development of photography and fashion journalism. However, it has been said that Vogue is a unique publication with an influence that reaches far beyond fashion journalism into the realms of art, photography and popular culture.

When taking a look at the editors, photographers, writers and designers who built Vogue and those who continue to build it today, it easy to see why this magazine is the most prestigious fashion magazine of this century. These men and woman, invisible to the readers but highly visible to this industry are behind each cover, each page and each story. With each issue of Vogue I am constantly astonished at the unique and unexplored articles and photos. I have never opened an issue of Vogue and felt I have read the same stories or seen similar style of photos in previous issues. I think this is why Vogue is a magazine woman constantly enjoy reading.

Vogue is now in its twelfth decade and its history displays editorial, visual and artistic contributions to culture in general and to fashion journalism in particular. With a history like this discovering the secret of success of the worlds foremost fashion magazine is in the ability to hold the attention of millions of women for more then a century.

See the official Vogue Website at: http://www.vogue.com.au/

Say 'Goodbye' to Jane Magazine

I was a subscriber to Jane magazine a mere three years out of the ten that they had been in publication. Their August of 2007 issue was their final issue and I was something short of devastated upon hearing this news. I was first attracted to Jane because of their no frills articles, covers and stories. Jane found a way, in the midst of all of the bubbly women’s magazines out there, to be more down-to-earth by mixing fashion trends with politics, world events, and real life stories. Jane barely changed in the ten years in which they were putting out magazines (with an exception to the last two years which they were working under a different editor). Their first issue made its debut in September of 1997. In the time since announcing their retirement, the cover of their first issue (displaying an ecstatic Drew Barrymore) has been posted everywhere.

When I look at the very first Jane cover I notice that their layout did not change much. That was part of what attracted me to their magazine. Their covers are not splashed with coverlines that scream “Top Ten Ways to Please Your Man” or “Fastest Weight Loss Tricks”. Instead the writers of Jane tackled just about every other topic that is or ever has been important to women. More often than not, their covers leaned more towards the plain side. Most would have a completely white background and the face of their chosen cover model, sprinkled with a few coverlines to highlight the contents of their issue. They were not covered in overdone, flashy, electric colors with a model that has an abundance of makeup and head of overdone hair. The covers were, for the most part, pretty basic.

In the years that I read Jane magazine I was introduced to the types of articles that I find most interesting. Jane would feature articles about women who survived cancer, and also those about women who lost friends to cancer. They would have articles about refugees and political movements. The most attractive thing about Jane magazine is that they had a way of touching on all of the typical articles of a woman’s magazine without being obnoxious about it, and then went the extra mile in covering more serious issues.

In addition to all of their good-doing, Jane was extremely well known for their off-beat sense of humor and quirky articles. They were anything but boring or mundane and they found a unique way of catering to and attracting an audience of readers composed of the kind of women who could not stand reading Cosmopolitan.

One of the possible reasons for the end of Jane magazine could be that it was not publicized enough. Sure, it was around for a long time so it must have had a large group of established and loyal subscribers, but for some reason it never reached the commercial height that other women’s magazines reached(magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Allure, Glamour and Shape). In an article written by Rachel Leibrock for the Detroit Free Press, Andi Zeisler, the editorial director for the feminist magazine Bitch was quoted as saying, “A lot of readers were in the dark about Jane. It existed in a black hole between being alternative and mainstream.”

The same article also points out that Jane Pratt, the founding editor of Jane magazine, left the company in 2005. In the two years after Jane Pratt left, Jane became more commercial and slowly turned away from its original intent and direction.

According to the New York Post, “Editors at Jane magazine had to cancel a "Guide to Boobs" after asking female colleagues to anonymously bare their breasts for photographers, but then carelessly divulging their identities in a mass e-mail.”

Whatever the reason for the end of Jane magazine, on July 9^th of this year Reuters announced that Conde Nast officially decided to end Jane’s ten year run. Even though I had already stopped subscribing to the magazine around the time of the editor switch in 2005, I appreciated the variety that Jane provided my eyes and mind with when I browse through the magazine rack. And I am sure I'm not alone when I say the magazine rack won't be the same without Jane.

Interview: Trent Buckroyd, FLAUNT Magazine

Trent Buckroyd is not only the Universal Overlord sporting quality footwear. He is also the Music editor of FLAUNT magazine. FLAUNT is known for its duel covers, innovative layout, and lavish fashion spreads. The magazine has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and now (because Trent has relocated) Texas. The resulting interview was conducted via e-mail.


ZM: How you livin’?

TJB: Like thanksgiving, and in mansion and Benz’s, you know, givin’ endz to my friends and I must say it feels stupendous. Still, I stay Gucci down to the socks.

ZM: Is the world round or flat?

TJB: Both. Like a pizza or a record. F.Y.I. a record is a black disc made of vinyl that plays music when placed on a “record player” and spun at 33 1/3 r.p.m.

ZM: What’s it like being back in the Lone Star State?

TJB: Hot.

ZM: How’s it different working in the 21st century (from home)?

TJB: It’s completely doable but I do miss the human interaction. I miss the group idea meetings. So much got done during that time. I miss brainstorming, and bouncing ideas of everyone, getting instant feedback. Now that doesn’t happen at all.

ZM: Do you miss me? Oops I mean LA?

TJB: Yes, I do, and I miss you but mostly I miss my taco truck at Olympic and La Brea.

ZM: Have you ever worn a Cowboy Hat?

TJB: In public? No. In private? No… comment.

ZM: You still rollin’ the Benzo these days?

TJB: Yes, but sadly it’s sans Lorenzo.

ZM: What’s the toughest aspect of editing the Music Section of FLAUNT?

TJB: Toughest part? Dude I’m a figurehead, like the Queen of England. I just delegate what I’d like to get done and then pass the buck and eat jumbo shrimp all day. Pimpin’? That ain’t easy, but being the Music Editor is a piece of cake.

ZM: Did I call T-Pain or what?

TJB: No, I believe you called Fort Minor. I believe you said “they are most important band in hip-hop and make Public Enemy look like Will Smith,” but then you rapped “Men In Black” for like four hours straight so I wasn’t really sure where you were going with that whole thing. It was right after one of your many “lunch breaks” where you came back smelling “funny” so maybe that explains it all.

ZM: Has Gary Süper Macho Lös Angeles ever considered a career as a Luchador?

TJB: How do you know he’s not a Luchador? They never take their masks off. Sorta like Kiss.

ZM: DYK you were this young mans: http://www.myspace.com/9629411, hero?

TJB: After clicking the link, I find out that this “young man” is actually a girl. Nice research Zak. I don’t really look at myself as her “hero” instead I prefer to see myself more as the wind beneath her wings.

ZM: Any shout outs?

TJB: Big, big shout out to Norman Schwarzkopf, Mom, Dad, Mi Maw and Paw Paw, Gary Super Macho and Lil’ G, Jorge from Accounting, that “dude” who says I’m his hero on MySpace, Sasha Grey and oh yeah, God. Gotts to give “Big Ups” to the Lord.






















For more information:
myspace.com/gary_super_macho
flaunt.com

Suggested Links:
Catfancey.com
modernpollvaulter.com
smokinghotlatinas.com

Americans vs. Aussies

Everyone is going global nowdays including magazines. What makes it interesting though, is seeing the differences amongst these magazines and finding out, if possible why that is.

For most parts, the August issue of the American Cosmopolitan and the Australian Cosmopolitan are similar. The only differences is the content.There are clearly obvious reasons as to why the contents are differ. One reason is because the general audience who read these magazines come from different countries and therefore have different interests. Both of these magazines are targeted to be fashion magazines however, the American Cosmo prominently concern themselves with the topic of sex. On the other, Australia’s Cosmo is about fashion.

Just by examining the front cover of the American issue, all the cover lines are related to sex. For instance, ‘Erotic Sex: 7 Boundary-Pushing Moves All Men Secretly Crave (and You’ll Get Off On Too)’ and ‘How to Feel More Pleasure Every Day.’ And what makes these words stand out more is the choice of colors for this issue, that is, bright yellow and orange. This differs to the ‘least’ important cover lines relating to hairstyles, true-stories and a profile feature on Julia Stiles. It is hidden away with black coloring of the fonts. One reason I found as to why the August issue for America’s Cosmo is so sex orientated is because it’s ‘The Hot Issue.’ This connotes the idea that this whole issue is sex related and it definitely don’t disappoint in that. Despite this, even just examining the September issue of Cosmo, there’s still a lot of sex related articles in the magazine in comparison to the Australian Cosmo.

In contrast to this, is Australia’s Cosmo for the same month which feature one sex related article. The other cover lines include topics relating to relationship advice, health and beauty.

But I honestly do think that the people who read it do have an effect on what goes into the magazine each month. So does that mean American women are more sex orientated than Australian women? Regardless of that, I still think America’s Cosmo can tone down on the sex topics because when I flip through these women magazines I want to find variety. But when it’s just full of one topic, it makes me not want to read it anymore. In particularly reading this August issue of the American Cosmo made me feel as if I was reading through a soft-core porn magazine. It was quite off putting.

With regards to the layout, Australia’s Cosmo follows much of the main concept of the American version seemingly that the American Cosmo is the ‘original.’ Although, I do much prefer the Australian layout. The reason for this is because in the first section of the Australian Cosmo, it’s all about fashion and beauty so there’s a lot of images and little words. From a reader's perspective, I don’t want to be bombarded by large articles particularly when these magazines are meant for flipping through quickly. This differs to the American Cosmo where a few pages in, a feature article is present. This makes me not want to read it but rather skip it so it’s not the most appealing layout for the magazine.

Now I’m just playing favoritism here – not true. I think I just need time adjusting to reading the American Cosmo.