Magazines Are Perfect. The Industry Is Not

Something more than a little unsettling dawned on me the other day: I’ve spent five decades in and around the magazine business, all on the editorial side. Half a century! How did that happen? Well, to borrow a phrase from master lyricist Paul McCartney, it’s been a long and winding road. Occasionally bumpy. But most of the journey has been a joy, even when (especially when) publishing deadlines demanded stress-filled late-nighters. Magazines have been my life’s singular passion. (That geeky teen who scattered scores of covers around his parents’ house so he could “analyze” the art? Yep, me.) The bug bit early. Back in the era of Sony cassette recorders, and following six years of teaching journalism to Penn State undergrads, I began writing for popular magazines, and then, after a while, editing them. Local books, regional books. Eventually, national titles. Mostly glossies. (I was also briefly the editor of Folio: magazine, where, let’s just say I, uh, s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d the then definition of B2B.) I appreciate that, to many peripatetic journalists and designers, this may seem like an uninspired career path, with not nearly enough zigging and zagging for spice. I concede that, and I also embrace it. It’s the path I carefully carved. Along the way, I have shared my great enthusiasm for all sorts of magazines—sometimes here in Folio: and also in other publications. (Side note: Folio:’s founder, Joe Hanson, once told me that I was the book’s first comp subscriber at the... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-09 20:25:47 UTC ]
News tagged with: #chip gaines #—including

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Magazines Are Perfect. The Industry Is Not'


Perfect 10 for Pearson/Penguin and Hachette on BIA shortlists

The Pearson/Penguin group and Hachette have each notched up 10 nominations for the 2013... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Mental Floss is Not Just a Magazine Anymore

Specs Who Co-founders William Pearson (l.) and Mangesh Hattikudur What Magazine and e-commerce business Where New York offices Mental Floss is known for its engaging Wikipedia-like articles (“How Many Languages Is It Possible to Learn?”) that nourish the mind. Few realize the Dennis Publishing... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mental floss #shooting star


Literary Magazines Adapt to the Digital Age

There are 866 publications in Poets & Writers’ database of literary magazines, 14 of which were added in early 2013. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital age #literary magazines


For Time Inc., a return to magazine stand-alone status

An era came to an end last week when Time Warner announced it would be spinning off its storied magazine division by the close of the year, leaving the owner of People, InStyle, Fortune, Sports Illustrated and, of course, Time to fend for itself as a publicly traded Time Inc. The announcement... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #television networks #public company #publishing powerhouse #print advertising #share price #news leaked #—matthew flamm


Time Warner spinning off Time Inc. magazine biz this year

Time Warner Inc. will spin off its magazine business later this year, turning the nine-decade-old publisher of Time, People and Sports Illustrated into a separate publicly held company.The board authorized management to proceed with the plan after a review of options, the New York-based media... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine publishing #controlling stake #advertising executive


Infographic: A Five-Year Look at Magazine Editorial Salaries

Every year FOLIO: conducts a nationwide survey with mid and executive-level editors. The survey maps out salary ranges across a number of demographics including gender, age, location, company size, education and more. The infographic below provides an interactive breakdown on several key trends... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #company size #key trends


T Magazine Gets Heat From Readers On Lack of Diversity

After reader pushback, The New York Times’ magazine is looking to include more ethnicities, and the larger media landscape should, too. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Magazine ABCs: Glamour and Good Housekeeping top PPA's combined ranking

Condé Nast's Glamour and Hearst's Good Housekeeping the inaugural rankings of the combined print and digital magazine circulations, compiled by the Professional Publishers Association today. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2013-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine abcs #good housekeeping #combined print


Hearst's David Carey on How People Are Still Reading Magazines. Really!

Despite what you have read, probably online, print isn't dead insists the magazine exec, speaking at D: Dive Into Media. Hearst's digital subscriptions are also up to 900,000. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david carey #print isn #digital subscriptions


AmericanStyle magazine suspends publication

Decline in advertising has caused publisher to seek buyerAmericanStyle magazine, a quarterly publication catering to consumers and producers of fine crafts, has suspended publication and is seeking a buyer, its Baltimore-based publisher announced this week. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2013-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Top Magazine Media Deals of 2012

The year 2012 opened in dramatic fashion with magazine media-related deals. From Hanley Wood’s recapitalization to the final sell-off the remaining segments of what once was the massive Ziff Davis, 2012 saw its fair share of deals that involved traditional media brands as well as the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dramatic fashion #hanley wood #fair share #digital properties


Hearst starts publishing iPad magazines days before print editions

Magazine publishers have more directly embraced tablets over more than a year as it became clearer that they were boosting the bottom line. We may be witnessing a watershed moment today, however. Hearst has started publishing issues for 22 of its magazines in the iOS Newsstand days before their... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine publishers #print editions #bottom line #early lead #app store #early access #movie studios


Publishing Executive Survey Shows Industry Settling into Digital

Forrester Research and DBW presented the findings of their Executive Publishing Survey on ebooks, devices and digital publishing predictions for 2013. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #forrester research


Bookseller Industry Awards open for entries

  The annual search to find the best publishers, retailers, agents, librarians and supply... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annual search


Industry Stocks Posted Big Gains In 2012

Led by a 44.9% increase in the stock price of Amazon, the Publishers Weekly Stock Index jumped 23.5% in 2012, easily beating the 7.3% gain posted by the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #9% increase #stock price


Bonnier to Make Magazine Content Available Via Smart TV Apps

Partnership with Flingo ports video content to more than 15 million devices. With the rise of internet-connected televisions, the big screen is becoming another place for publishers to get their content in front of viewers. One recent example of this is a partnership between Bonnier and smart TV... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big screen


Magazine Closures Down 50 Percent

Magazine closures were down nearly 50 percent from last year, while launches declined 5 percent, according to a recent report released by online periodicals database Mediafinder.com. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine closures


Is the USPS Getting Into the Magazine Newsstand Business?

All signs point to the USPS wanting-in on the newsstand business, but it’s up to publishers now. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #signs point


Magazines ramp up publishing in 2012

Magazine publishers are still tightening their belts three years after the nightmare of the advertising recession shook the industry to its toes. But the itch to launch new magazines shows no sign of going away. In 2012, veteran publishers and novice entrepreneurs launched a total of 195 print... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upscale men #du jour #american artist #martha stewart #transition period #advertising revenue #higher costs


Magazines Double Down On Tablet Commitment

The magazine industry’s faith in the future of tablets is not easing up, even though advertiser support for digital editions has been slow in coming and these platforms still represent a small fraction of overall distribution for most books. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine industry #digital editions