Magazines

Yesterday came the sad news that hip hop music magazine Vibe was closing down -- just shy of its sixteenth birthday. But today EbonyJet.com has an exclusive interview with Vibe founder Quincy Jones, who revealed that he wants to resuscitate the mag as a Web publication.

"I'm trying to buy my magazine back now," Jones told the site. "They just messed my magazine all up, but I'm gonna get it back. You better believe it, I'm'a take it online because print and all that stuff is over."

It's been a tough week for Jones, who founded Vibe in 1993. In addition to the death of the magazine he founded, he also had to say goodbye to his close friend Michael Jackson. Jones was instrumental in launching the King of Pop's solo career and he has told a few news organizations that he is not planning on attending the funeral later this week.

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Jeff Bercovici at AOL's DailyFinance is reporting that music magazine Vibe is ceasing publication.

Just last month, the magazine's parent company, Vibe Media Group, announced the launch of spin-off The Most!, a "celebrity fashion, lifestyle, red-carpet moments, travel, and news" publication that was due to hit newsstands earlier this month. There's no word on whether Vibe's shut down will affect that publication as well.

Publicists at the magazine were unavailable for comment, but we'll keep you updated as the story progresses. If you have any information, leave it in the comments below or email us.

Vibe's closure leaves The Source as the one remaining one of the few remaining magazines covering hip hop and R&B, after Blender folded earlier this year. (A commenter kindly pointed out that Giant and XXL still cover the industry, and there might be others that we don't know about.)

Update: The New York Times has word from Vibe's publicist that the magazine will close down operations today, although there is no word on how many people will be losing their jobs. And here is part of an internal memo sent by Vibe Media Group CEO Steve Aaron to staffers today: "It is with a heavy heart that I share some tough news, VMG is closing down effective today, June 30 due to lack of additional financial investments." So, it looks like Vibe won't be the only publication to go. If the whole media group is closing up shop, it looks like The Most! is dead, too.

Lastly, Ron Mwangaguhunga spoke to Vibe editor at large Rob Kenner for his blog The Corsair. Kenner revealed that the magazine had been working on a Michael Jackson tribute prior to its demise. How much more depressing can it get? The magazine's own death prevented it from celebrating the death of the legend who was so influential to the music that Vibe covered.

Forget Jon & Kate, Michael Jackson's death may be the latest event to help resuscitate the faltering magazine industry. After news of his death broke on Thursday afternoon, magazines rushed to honor the pop star.

Today, Time magazine has a commemorative issue hitting newsstands. The issue features memories of Michael from a laundry list of his famous friends and admirers, including Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Nancy Reagan.

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When we first learned of new women's magazine launch, VAIN, we did a Google search to find...another Vain magazine already in existence.

But the new VAIN is focused on all women ages 18 to 38, while the already established Vain is a quarterly arts-focused publication. The new launch, which debuted its Web site a few weeks ago and will be on newsstands this fall, is the brainchild of Rachelle Gauthier an industry vet who, according to her online bio, formerly "managed the editorial, photography and art departments of several leading niche magazines and worked for one of the first successful urban fashion lines Mecca USA."

Gauthier is certain that there won't be any problem distinguishing her magazine from any other with a similar name. "VAIN, the women's magazine all about you, takes pride in versatility of our readers," she told FishbowlNY via email. "She may be an artist, a sports enthusiast, an educator, a philanthropist, an entrepreneur, or even an emerging designer. And despite her desires or struggles, VAIN will fill her with images and words that will keep her striving for more. Vain is a beautifully crafted magazine that focuses on art and the artists of the world-a very niche audience and they do that well. Both of our positions are very unique in the marketplace and we will coexist without confusion or exception in the mass market."

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Last week, we reported exclusively that recently appointed Newsweek.com editorial director Will Tacy had left the publication. Yesterday, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham announced Tacy's replacement: senior editor Devin Gordon.

Gordon had helped reimagine the magazine's "Scope" section for its relaunch a few weeks ago and led Newsweek's front of book coverage, and his important position will not remain empty for long. National affairs editor Bret Begun has already agreed to step into Gordon's shoes, Meachum said. Begun has plenty of FOB experience, previously serving as deputy editor of the magazine's "Periscope" section, according to his Newsweek.com bio.

(Meacham's full memo, including glowing descriptions of Gordon and Begun's work, after the jump)

In other Newsweek news, the publication is desperately trying to publicize the disappearance of foreign correspondent Maziar Bahari in Tehran. According to the magazine, Bahari (right) was "detained without charge by Iranian authorities" on Sunday and hasn't been heard from since. A Newsweek spokesperson said this morning that there is still no update on his whereabouts.

Bahari, a Canadian citizen, has been living and working in Iran for the past decade, Newsweek said, adding that the pub "strongly condemns this unwarranted detention, and calls upon the Iranian government to release him immediately."

Our thoughts and prayers go to Bahari and his family, and best wishes to Gordon and Begun, taking on new challenges amid a dangerous time for journalists.

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Boston magazine has fired its editor and imposed additional staff cuts and furloughs today.

The magazine's editor, James Burnett, is out, replaced by Minnesota Monthly editor Andrew Putz, the magazine's owner, Metrocorp, announced today. Putz will come on board on July 22 -- Metrocorp editorial director Larry Platt will serve as editor until then.

Once Putz is in place, he will appoint a new creative director -- presumably replacing current creative director Patrick Mitchell.

Additionally, Paul Reulbach, who served as publisher of Boston magazine from 2003 until 2007, will be returning to the post after two years away from the company.

What's more, Metrocorp said the appointments of Putz, Reulbach and a new creative director were "part of an organizational restructuring at the magazine," which includes the elimination of six other positions across the board. (Jeff Bercovici says three editorial and design staffers and two from the business side were let go.) Employees will also be required to take one-week furloughs.

"We want to be well-positioned when the economy rebounds," said Metrocorp's chairman Herb Lipson. "The best way to do that is to strengthen the quality of the magazine. At the same time, we have to face economic realities and it is always painful to eliminate positions."

If you have any info about who is out as Boston magazine, or just want to complain about it, tell us all about it in the comments.

Full release after the jump

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Newspapers are dying, magazines are closing and more journalists are finding themselves without paying gigs every day. Everyone is wondering: what does the future hold for the media? We brought the questions to the front lines, asking leaders in the field to tell us: what's next?

As publisher of epicurean magazine Saveur for the past 18 months, Merri Lee Kingsly has seen impressive growth in the pub's ad sales. Earlier this month, Kingsly announced that Saveur's June/July issue was the largest in the publication's 15-year history with 22 percent more ad pages and 14 new advertisers compared to last year. And the Ellie-winning magazine is preparing to get even more visibility (and, hopefully, ads), thanks to editor-in-chief James Oseland's cameo on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" and a new Web site set to launch later this summer. We asked Kingsly about her successes so far and what makes Saveur different from all the rest.

FishbowlNY: As other magazines struggle, Saveur's recent June/July issue has 22 percent more ads than last year. Why do you think you have been so successful?

Merri Lee Kingsly: We are true to our mission. Everything we do is very much about the tradition and heritage of food. We've never been about the hottest restaurants and the hottest chefs and the new places to go, and I think that is the key to our success. When you look at the whole competitive set, which has forever been about the hottest restaurants and the hottest chefs, they've really followed the weak economy. They are only talking about how people are huddled in their kitchens making stews for the weekend. These are magazines that forever talked about going out and eating and traveling and they have changed their tune in such a drastic angle that they've not only confused the reader but they've chased the advertiser away. They have abandoned their luxury market. We haven't. We haven't changed the formula; we've been doing the same thing for 15 years.

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With ad revenues slipping in the past year, magazines have been trying to find new ways to earn money and keep their publications afloat. With its latest idea, Men's Health might be on to something.

Using new technology only made possible with Apple Inc.'s iPhone operating system upgrade this week, the magazine has launched an iPhone application that sells additional content through the app itself.

The "Men's Health Workouts" app, which is available for $1.99, "comes with photos, instructions and the ability to track one's progress for 18 workouts and more than 125 exercises," explains AdAge.com's Nat Ives. However, users can purchase additional workouts and other info -- for as little as 99 cents.

According to Apple, this approach to apps is revolutionary, but its probably not the last time we'll see a magazine use this new technology to sell additional content to readers and iPhone users.

Earlier this week, we spoke exclusively with Wired Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson about new ways magazines and newspapers can monetize content. Something tells us Anderson would be very intrigued by Men's Health's new model.

"It's not about charging more for the same products, but releasing different products," Anderson told FBNY. "[Those products] are not for everybody, but for enough people that we can charge a higher price."

Update: In a press release today, the magazine said the app "includes 18 exclusive workouts and 125+ exercises from the world's top strength coaches, athletes, and fitness experts. Each workout features step-by-step instructions, high-quality photos, advanced logging functions, and is powered by a one-of-kind circuit training interface." The additional content available for purchase will be workout "expansion packs" including additional groups of workouts directly within the application itself. Available expansion packs at launch include, "The Ultimate Abs Pack," "Build a Beach Ready Body," and "Huge Arms in a Hurry."

"Men's Health is leading the industry by adapting our print products to emerging digital platforms," said David Zinczenko, the magazine's editor-in-chief. "While other magazines have offered iPhone applications before, we are the first to embrace Apple's In-App purchase function, and in doing so, we are the first to deviate from these traditional marketing methods. In essence, we are creating a distribution channel within the iPhone for our content."

In the midst of recent magazine closures and more layoffs, it's always heartening to see a new pub launch. And even online only content paves the way for more growth within the industry.

So let's welcome Tablet magazine, a daily online Jewish magazine focusing on news, culture and ideas. The site is a "beefed-up, rebranded, refocused update" of Nextbook.org, explained editor-in-chief Alana Newhouse, in her welcome letter on the site. Launched in 2003, Nextbook.org published Jewish arts and culture writing, up until earlier this year. Now, Tablet takes over its mission and brings something new to the table.

"We've expanded our mandate to cover, break, and analyze news and politics, and will work to tie our cultural coverage much more closely to current public discourse," Newhouse explained. "Even more important, Tablet is not simply a read. On our site, you will find lengthy pieces of in-depth journalism and cultural criticism, fiery blog posts, audio podcasts and video clips, beautiful slideshows, and bits of animation."

Newhouse, who joined Tablet from Jewish weekly newspaper the Forward, is joined by a formidable team of journalists, including deputy editor Gabriel Sanders, who has worked for the Forward and Vanity Fair and former Gawker editor and New York magazine editor Jesse Oxfeld, who will serve as executive editor.

Newsweek's latest issue, which was guest edited by political satirist Stephen Colbert, tried to escape being called a publicity stunt, but it's not immune from being labeled a rip-off.

After only a couple days on newsstands, the Colbert issue has already been called out by AOL Daily Finance's Jeff Bercovici for mimicking a cover of satirical mag Spy from 1989.

"It's probably impossible to commit satire in magazine form without echoing Spy," Bercovici said. "But you'd think Colbert, as a comedian, might have a little more professional pride than this; Newsweek editor Jon Meacham says the cover treatment was Colbert's idea."

The issue is also getting heat from Esquire for seemingly copying a gimmick the magazine used eight years ago for an interview with Colbert's Comedy Central lead in Jon Stewart.

What do you think? Do you think Newsweek is getting extra (and unfair) scrutiny because of its attempt to do something to draw publicity? Or do you believe Colbert could have been more original?