“Tab Wars: Breaking News or Faking News?” is the headline of the story written by Blair Soden on the ABC News website. The editor in Chief of US Weekly, Janice Min, and yours truly, Samir Husni, offer opposing answers to Ms. Soden’s questions regarding the so called “weekly celebrity magazine” field. I, for one, call these magazines GOSSIP weeklies, Ms. Min refers to hers as CELEBRITY weekly. Read the whole article here and share your comments.
Archive for May, 2007
Shop at Wal-Mart, Listen to Country Music, & You will not need Dr. Phil
May 19, 2007
At least that is the message I get from Ladies’ Home Journal’s June issue. The magazine has opted to spare its readers from Dr. Phil on this month’s cover in all the copies sold at Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart readers are treated to a special cover celebrating “The heart & soul of country” plus “included with purchase” Volume 1 of “Crazy for Country” music CD containing songs by the likes of Vince Gill and Reba McEntire. Of course the confusing thing for readers is that if they walk across the street from Wal-Mart, and visit their Kroger supermarket, the ever-smiling Dr. Phil will greet them on the cover of the same magazine. Would readers be confused and question whether it’s the same magazine or not? I am sure they will. I do not think that when you have mass circulation magazines such as Ladies’ Home Journal it is fair to treat the Wal-Mart chain differently than the rest of the retailers, and to add salt to injury, confuse the readers. I think it is about time for our magazine publishers to start treating all their customers the same. It should make no difference whether I buy my magazine from Wal-Mart, Kroger or Seven-Eleven I should at least get the same cover… if you want to give me a bonus for purchasing at a specific store, that is fine. However changing the magazine to cater to a specific store is where I draw the line. It is more than OK to decide to sell your magazine in one store or chain; All You magazine is doing a great job selling only at Wal-Mart. However if Wal-Mart is going to start asking magazines for exclusive covers and gifts, the next thing they will do is ask for exclusive content. Editors beware! Wal-Mart is not known for drawing the line if they can sell more products. Today they will ask for the cover, tomorrow the ???
A story of two {2} magazines
May 18, 2007
Be prepared for a shock when you cross the border between the United States and its neighbor to the north, Canada. Whether you are entering or existing, if you are a fan of 2 magazine, yes that is the name of a magazine, well make that two magazines, there are quite a few differences between our 2 and their 2. Both magazines are aimed at couples, both are named 2, and both are printed in Canada, but that’s where all the similarities end. Our 2 (click here) is aimed at same sex couples and is heavy on photography, and their 2 (click here) is aimed at opposite sex couples and is less dependent on photography. So be careful which magazine you will ask for, as if the cover does not give them away. And talking about covers, the Canadian 2 offers an ad right on the cover flap that has a coupon for a sample of cologne and perfume for him and her. One of the few times I’ve seen such open integration between the cover and advertising…Most of the U.S. magazines, so far, have limited their ads to the back of the cover flap.
Behind the scenes of “We Love Magazines”
May 17, 2007My friend Jeremy Leslie, author of the books ‘magCulture’ (2003), and ‘Issues’ (2000), is also Group Creative Director at London-based custom magazines’ publisher John Brown. He recently wrote a piece for 8 magazine which can be considered a “behind the scenes” review of Colophon 2007 and the We Love Magazines conference that was held last March in Luxembourg. A great commentary on the status of magazines, their designs and presentations. Read it all here. Also, if you’ve missed the Colophon 2007 conference, you can watch the video here.
“JUST” the bare facts… or Brit and Lindsay with no Photoshop
May 17, 2007
During a recent visit to Finland I discovered an Estonian { and not Russian magazine as I mentioned earlier, thanks to a note from Mikhail Smetana from Afisha Magazine Moscow, Russia} called JUST. It is a celebrity weekly magazine, as we call this type of magazines in the States, or a gossip weekly as they refer to this type of magazines in the rest of the world. I bought two weekly issues, but I was lucky enough not to open the magazines until I arrived back in the States. What a surprise. Remember those photo-shopped pictures of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan coming down from the car without underwear. Well most of the magazines in the States and in most of the world opted not to scare their readers and either edited or blurred the pictures using the magic of Photoshop. Not JUST magazine. They published both pictures as is. No editing, no Photoshop, no blurring… Pictures that I can’t even show on my blog (yet with some Google help you can find them on the web), however you will thank me for not showing the pictures if you see them. I am not a fan of altering pictures and or using Photoshop to add or delete parts of pictures, but at the same time I am a big believer in the power of editing… as in edit the pictures out… those pictures are the biggest exception to the theory that a picture is worth a 1,000 words… in the aforementioned pictures, trust me a 1,000 words would have helped me and many other readers avoid a few nightmares…
D Sport: Is it the car or the girl?
May 16, 2007
Well, D Sport magazine gives you the option with every issue. This month, and every month the magazine offers two split covers to choose from. This month it is issue number 54A and issue number 54B. The difference between A and B, as you can see above, is the “position” the model is “connected” to the car. For those who would like to see more of the car they can buy edition A; those who want to see more of the girl they can buy edition B. Those who can’t decide, just spend $10 and you can own both… I mean copies A and B of the magazine and not the car and the girl.
To Vs. or not to Vs.
May 15, 2007
The message is not the medium and the proof is in Vs. magazine, a “large format and exclusive yet diverse way of showcasing fashion and culture. Scandinavian yet international. Reaching for the future yet holding on the classic goods.” Vs. has just published its second issue and it is indeed filled with “contrasts and contradictions,” as the name aptly states. Heavy glossy paper, large format, great photography, and excellent content make this magazine a “boutique” publication rather than a “supermarket” publication. Its hefty $20 cover price is worth every penny and a definite proof that when you present the relevant content in the relevant medium you can’t go wrong. Anyone that doubts the future of print, need not do anything but pick up a copy of Vs. and why print still reigns supreme when delivering that VIP factor: the visual impact of print. The magazine is both available in both English and Scandinavian languages.
Detroit has a new Ambassador (Hot and New this Week, take 6)
May 14, 2007Once a week, I highlight three new magazines on my web site Mr.Magazine™. This week the three new magazines are Ambassador, Gladiator and Kitu Kizuri. Read here about these new launches. To be considered for review on my web site, please send a copy of your first issue to Samir “Mr. Magazine™” Husni, Department of Journalism, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677.
Attention U.S. Newspapers: A MUST Read
May 13, 2007
In today’s British The Independent newspaper, Peter Cole, a professor of journalism at the University of Sheffield in the UK, has written a great column titled “Newspapers may be changing but we will go on reading them On The Press: The industry has nothing to gain by talking itself down.” READ IT HERE. It is a call that I have been preaching for years in the United States Newspapers’ newsrooms, and as I mentioned in earlier blogs, to no avail. Read the article from the Independent here and keep in mind that if you (the newspaper editor and publisher) cannot survive the present, who cares about the future. We must survive the present and we must do something about it. Visit The Independent and The Guardian web sites and see how much you can learn. I have written about plenty of other examples, but none of them is in English…so for now read professor Cole’s article and do something about it…
Happy Mother’s Day
May 13, 2007Here is a hearty and happy wish for every woman who has conceived and given birth to a new magazine. Thanks for all the titles that you’ve brought to life, and all the best for a great Mother’s Day. Celebrate your day and continue to enjoy the labors of your love… As for the readers, celebrate Mother’s Day by buying a magazine today in honor of all the women who brought those titles to our world…
Mr. Magazine 