Mr. Magazine

That is the headline of my guest column for the March issue of Publishing Executive magazine. The editors introduced the column by writing, “‘Mr. Magazine’ offers a history lesson to an industry short on and desperate for good news.”

Here is the intro for my column as published in Publishing Executive:

We live in interesting times. That statement reminds me of the day I was in a hospital bed surrounded by a team of doctors. They were telling each other, “This is an interesting case.” I looked up at the doctors and said, “For a journalist, anything interesting (case, times, etc.) means you have no earthly idea what is going on.” The same can be said today about the publishing industry in general and the magazine industry in particular. We live in interesting times.

To read the entire column click here.

Publishing Executive magazine’s on line weekly edition interviewed me for its INBOX section. The interview conducted by Janet Spavlik sheds more light on MIC and my plans for the center. Here is the interview as it appeared on Publishing Executive’s website earlier today.

A Center for Industry Innovation: Samir ‘Mr. Magazine’ Husni on his new, nonprofit venture and the role he hopes it will play in the future of print
By Janet Spavlik

In a posting on his blog, Samir “Mr. Magazine” Husni announced last week his plans to create a center “devoted to the study of magazines in particular and print in general.” The Magazine Innovation Center (MIC), scheduled to launch Aug. 15, will serve the industry as a nonprofit organization with a mission to foster innovation in magazines and other print media through international collaboration.

“I have decided to devote the remaining years of my professional career to study the medium which I cherish, and trust that it still has a great future regardless of the doom and gloom that surrounds it in today’s marketplace,” wrote Husni.

According to Husni, the MIC will be headquartered in Oxford, Miss., at the University of Mississippi, where he serves as chair, professor of journalism and Hederman Lecturer.
“[It will be located] away from the ‘noise’ of the big publishing headquarters and big cities,” he says. “MIC will provide a calm and relaxed location that will help those who gather at the center to be able to think and innovate away from the everyday grinds of work.”

Husni spoke with Publishing Executive Inbox about his plans for developing the center and the overwhelming response he has already received from the industry.

INBOX: How long has the center been in development? Who are you collaborating with on it?
SAMIR “MR. MAGAZINE” HUSNI: I have been thinking about the center for years, but the recent “killings” of magazines that were deemed successful pushed MIC to the front burner of my thinking … . I will be working with anyone who is willing to help and support the center. It is not an exclusive club, nor is it limited to those who contribute and help. The center will collaborate with publishers, printers, distributors, manufacturers, paper companies, circulation folks, associations, b-to-b, consumer, custom publications — it is going to be international in scope … .

INBOX: What is the purpose of the center?
HUSNI: The short answer is to amplify the future of print — and that includes newspapers and other paper products.

INBOX: What will be the center’s goals and activities?
HUSNI: MIC will catalyze innovation in order to ensure a thriving future for magazines and the print industry. The center [will] offer a wide spectrum of perspectives inside and outside of print media. MIC will act as a think tank that will bring people together at the center to come up with solutions for some of the industry’s most pressing issues. We will deal with one issue at a time, and we will try to have a variety of people from a variety of demographics and clusters of work to come up with these solutions. We will have workshops, seminars and how-to sessions to help in the process of innovation and enhancing the power of magazines and other print products.

INBOX: Have you established a board of directors yet? Who will be involved?
HUSNI: The board of directors has not been established yet; however, I have a list of more than 150 people worldwide who have expressed interest in being on the board. I am more interested [now] in establishing the cornerstones of the center, the physical location, the offices, etc., before forming the board or even asking for contributions to raise the amount of money needed to pay for the cost of the center’s activities. My goal is to raise a million dollars this year and, as the economy improves, fulfill my goal of raising five million dollars to ensure that the center will continue for years to come. Only the interest from the money contributed will be used by the center, and it will only be used to run the activities of the center.

INBOX: When the center opens in August, what issue(s) will be its top priorities?
HUSNI: … The publishing model, which I believe is dead, is priority number one. Like I said in my column in [the March issue of] Publishing Executive, the publishing model is dead, not print. So coming up with a new publishing model will be priority number one. Other items will include finding new ways to reach customers, distribution methods, innovations in print, dealing with digital, and finding customers who count for our business … .

INBOX: How can interested magazine industry executives get involved?
HUSNI: … The majority of folks from the major media companies have e-mailed me and expressed interest in the center. I hope to hear from more as the idea of the center becomes more clear to people and as we release more information. I also hope that the industry associations will get involved. It will be such a small investment on their behalf in what will help and benefit our industry for years to come. The center will not compete with any industry or organizations — it will just complement what is out there and provide an independent outlet to help enhance research and solutions for the industry.

To learn more about the center or to be added to the center’s e-mail list, drop me an e-mail at samir.husni@gmail.com

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President Obama did not only occupy the White House, but also hundreds of magazine covers and newspaper front pages. I do not recall any other time in recent history when a president mastered as many covers and special issues of magazines as President Obama. Any visitor to the newsstands can easily count 10 to 15 magazines devoted to the life and times of the president. The closest I can remember regarding such a phenomena is the magazine Slick Times that was published bimonthly during the Clinton era. However, it was one and only one title devoted to the Clinton’s presidency.
Now, the number of titles devoted to the president are countless and the number of issues of regular magazines with him on the cover is beyond count. Two magazines caught my attention this week. Wizard and Ms. magazines both featured Obama as Superman, each in its own different way. My friend Gareb Shamus at Wizard expects the April issue of Wizard to be the number one seller for the magazine. The Ms. magazine cover may also do the same. It has been widely reported that the Obama’s magazine covers and front-pages of newspapers have been nothing but great newsstands sellers. Maybe now is the time to start a new Obama monthly or weekly magazine. I will bet you that it will be a great seller and a greater stimulus print. I can’t wait to see who is going to take me on my offer and start the second most successful magazine in history. Just in case you are wondering about the first one, of course who else will it be but O, The Oprah Magazine. It is ironic that the first lady of television gave us one of the most successful women’s magazines and it is more ironic that the first “tech” president is giving print such a boost. Thanks Mr. President, and can’t week to see the first issue of Obama, the magazine.

As reported in Folio earlier today, my plans to create a center devoted to the study of magazines in particular and print in general is one step closer to reality. The Magazine Innovation Center will become a reality on August 15 of this year. I have decided to devote the remaining years of my professional career to study the medium which I cherish and trust that it still has a great future regardless of the doom and gloom that surrounds it in today’s marketplace. The Magazine Innovation Center will have one major goal in mind: Amplify the future and power of print and its place in the media realm of the 21st Century. MIC’s mission and structure is described in the following outline:

Mission
The Magazine Innovation Center (a not for profit organization) is an international collaboration between the best thinkers in publishing, printing, advertising and distribution. MIC seeks to generate focused innovation in magazines and other print media. As an industry, we employ the world’s great minds. The Center will channel their creativity and intellect (away from the grinds of everyday work and challenges) to provide blueprints for productive change.

Goals
MIC will catalyze innovation in order to ensure a thriving future for magazines and the print industry. The Center plans to offer a wide spectrum of perspectives inside and outside of print media.

Open Source Thinking
Each year groups of experts will be brought to the Center to participate in extensive and visionary programs. They will be afforded the time and resources needed to create practical guidelines and directions for the future success of print. Results will be distributed worldwide.

Smart Money
MIC will seek a rapid-start fund of $1 million to address the most pressing issues. A fully funded endowment will be required to maintain MIC over the long-term and to finance continual interchange and development of productive strategies.

Structure
The Center will be under the directorship of Samir A. Husni with a board of directors that will guide, navigate and oversee the work of MIC. These directors will include leaders in the fields of publishing, printing, advertising and distribution; they will be instrumental in helping to identify key issues that affect the growth and health of our industry.
Another group of advisors at MIC will be responsible for seeking out talents who have innovative ideas and spark. These forward-thinking individuals will comprise the proactive energy behind the collaborative efforts of the center.

The support for MIC, since I wrote the first mention about it, has been overwhelming. I welcome your support and I look forward to your involvement. Print is not dead and the MIC will be the candle that lights the way for our future in the midst of the darkness that surrounds us. For more info or to be included on MIC’s e mail list please drop me an e mail at samir.husni@gmail.com

Stay tuned for more information about MIC.

In a survey polling 316 people ranging in age from 12 to 72, The Rosen Group, a New York City based Public Relations firm, found that “the vast majority of adult consumers still consider the print editions of these publications indispensable sources of news and entertainment.” In fact the survey found that

Nearly 80 percent of respondents still subscribe to magazines and the vast majority (83 percent) find that daily newspapers are still relevant.
Despite a pronounced move toward online news consumption, respondents still believe news is fit to print. When asked if newspapers and magazines will exist in 10 years, nearly half of those surveyed (45 percent) said yes, while 40 percent remained uncertain.
“People are looking online for news and lifestyle information, but they are not abandoning their print editions,” said Lori Rosen, founder and president of The Rosen Group. “There is still a certain satisfaction and ease to holding printed text in your hands, and PDAs or PCs will not replace this just yet.” Among the evidence: Even though the public can’t ignore the burgeoning blogosphere, nearly 60 percent of those surveyed agree that the information found on blogs is not credible.

The survey also found that:

* Thirty percent cite Web sites devoted to news as their top source for updates; 66 percent say that they are among their daily news sources.
* Only 18 percent say that a print newspaper is their first stop for news, but 55 percent of respondents still look at newspapers on any given day. Fifty-three percent still subscribe to the print version of a newspaper.
* When it comes to leisure time, print magazines and Web sites tied for first as a leading entertainment source (26 percent). Only seven percent seek out their favorite magazines online.
* Sixty-five percent of respondents find weekly news magazines relevant.

The results of the survey are clear. Print is still an important and major player in the life of people. The key is to provide the relevant content in print. News and ink-on-paper may no longer be the most relevant content for our papers and magazines. However content that takes the “searching surfing” audience and turns it to a “critically thinking” audience is and will continue to be the essence of print and its future.

Studies like the one above conducted by The Rosen Group and the forth coming Magazine Innovation Center, are but the first steps in the journey of the one thousand miles to amplify the future of print. Stay tuned and thanks Lori Rosen for this timely study.

JPG and 8020 media received a new lease on life. Mitch Fox the outgoing President and CEO of the company announced the sale of 8020 Media in a e-mail to all friends of JPG earlier today. Fox said

After a hectic 47 days, hundreds, maybe thousands, of emails and countless hours on the phone and in meetings, I am delighted to report that the assets of 8020 Publishing, LLC have been acquired by 8020 Media, Inc., a new company formed by a group of private investors, represented by Brandon Calder, for the purpose of executing on the unique vision that led to the creation of JPG Magazine, jpgmag.com and everywheremag.com. We are also pleased to announce that Adorama Camera Inc., a renowned leader in photography has reached a multi-year agreement to be JPG’s Premier Community Partner and will also become minority owner of the new company.

In this difficult economic climate, business transactions take patience, finesse, intelligence and imagination, and we were lucky enough to find all these qualities in the unique group that brought this deal together. Above all, the new owners are able to see the immense promise that these properties hold to re-invent the media model and truly put the voice of the medium in the hands of its community.

Fox’s role at the company is also changing. He wrote,

My role, too, is changing, as I am handing the reins of the company over to my colleague, Mr. Seth Familian, who will become President and CEO of 8020 Media, Inc. As the key driver behind our digital innovation for the past year, Seth has proven to be an exceptionally capable new media leader.

For those who have missed the saga of JPG and 8020 Media click here, here and here to refresh your memory. To read my interview with Mitch Fox click here.

What is wrong with this picture? Earlier this month I received the following press release from the folks at Hallmark magazine:

Hallmark Magazine’s February/March ’09 issue, on newsstands beginning today, is up 53% in paging and 37% in revenue when compared with the same 2008 issue. Those numbers are not typos. In this economy, when many publishers are managing layoffs, cutbacks and advertising discounts, Hallmark Magazine’s Carol Campbell Boggs continues to leverage the power of the Hallmark halo to tremendous effect.

New advertisers in the February/March issue include: Pfizer, Sony, Novartis and PBS with new business from P&G, GSK and Hormel. The issue also represents the first with the rate base increase to 800,000 — a 100% increase since the magazine’s fall 2006 launch. This sustained growth is certainly cause for celebration within Hallmark; it’s also a marked success in the publishing industry during a time of major transition.

And, as indicated in the 2008 year-end PIB report, Hallmark Magazine is one of the few to finish the year ahead – and one of only a handful of magazines enjoying double-digit growth!

Today I received the news that Hallmark magazine is no longer going to be published. Folio magazine quoted Hallmark president and CEO Donald J. Hall Jr., saying that

“the decision to stop publishing the magazine was reached after a “comprehensive analysis” of the overall magazine industry.

“Despite favorable consumer acceptance of the publication, we cannot justify continued investment in the magazine at a time when we must focus our efforts and resources only on those projects that will lead to long-term profitable revenue growth for the company,” he said.

The magazine’s 28 employees have been laid off, the company said. In addition, 10 Kansas City, Missouri-based positions in the company’s creative division will be eliminated.

How on earth can you justify a magazine that is growing both in advertising and circulation is being shuttered? Very simple, it means that the magazine was not making any money from circulation and at the same time it brings to question the revenues coming from advertising. Is it heavy discounts or give-a-ways? Who knows? One thing I know for sure is that the American publishing model is DEAD. It is time to reinvent the publishing model. It is time to charge the readers the price of the magazines. It is time for innovation in print and in the American publishing model. Stop giving away your pages and your content on a silver platter with no real price. Now is the time for change. A change that will not take us from print to the web, but rather a change that will create a new publishing model incorporating both print and the web. A model that uses content and the concept of selling content as its basic corner stone. We MUST stopping giving our content and our pages for free or close to free. It is a shame (I can’t think of any other word) when a successful (or so we were told a few weeks ago) magazine like Hallmark is forced to shut down. We need to search for a cure for the ills of our industry. Every venue is sick. An over the counter medicine is not going to be enough. Our illnesses are grave, but they are not terminal if we innovate. We have to invent new medicines to cure the ills of our industry, all venues of our industry. The publishing model, the distribution model, the pricing model and the staffing model. We have to innovate and to create new ways of doing publishing. If we claim to be creative people (journalists, marketers, analysts, designers) now is the time to put our money where our mouth is.

In the next few days, I will be taking the first humble step toward the formation of a new center dealing with magazine and print innovation. The center will be called Magazine Innovation Center (MIC) and will focus on amplifying the future of print. I will need all the help that I can get from all the folks in our industry, here and abroad. We need to innovate. We need to create and be creative. Stay tuned for more details later.