Blog Magazine

Ellen DeGeneres Appears on December Issue of O Magazine

2009-11-06T15:46:19-06:00

Earlier this year Oprah Winfrey agreed to feature Ellen DeGeneres on the cover of O, The Oprah Magazine after DeGeneres campaigned for the cover spot with her "O, Yes I Can" promotion. DeGeneres is only the second person to share the cover with Winfrey--Michelle Obama was the first. The December issue will feature two cover versions--one for subscribers and one for single copy newsstand buyers. The magazine is slated to hit newsstands Nov. 12 while DeGeneres will appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show Nov. 9.

Marie Claire Magazine Celebrates Anniversary

2009-11-06T14:30:15-06:00

With its December issue the U.S. edition of Marie Claire magazine celebrates its 15th anniversary. The original edition of Marie Claire started in France in 1937 as a weekly; today there are more than 30 international editions.

Marie Claire magazine is known for its coverage of international women’s issues along with thorough coverage of the usual women’s magazine content like fashion, entertainment, relationships and health.

To mark the anniversary, the December issue features the theme of--you guessed it "15"--among its usual coverage. There’s the “The Essential 15” recommendations of beauty products, movies, books, music and more. In addition, the issue features 15 top fashion designers in “15 Heroes by Design,” in which the magazine recognizes influential designers (Ralph Lauren, Kenneth Cole and Michael Kors are included) who give back.

The Return of Vibe Magazine: Cover Controversy

2009-11-05T15:29:36-06:00

Obviously Vibe magazine wanted to put a big publicity-generating celebrity on its upcoming first issue (out Dec. 8) after folding in June but the revived hip-hop magazine is garnering criticism for one of its cover star choices--hip-hop artist Chris Brown, who pleaded not guilty to assault charges of then-girlfriend Rihanna in August.

Critics of Vibe's choice argue the magazine is condoning Brown's behavior by putting him on the cover; proponents argue the magazine is promoting the singer's comeback attempt--he kicks off a "Fan Appreciation" tour next week and his new album is set to release on Dec. 8.

Meanwhile, the timing seems to already be detrimental for both Chris Brown and Vibe because Rihanna started her own promotional blitz today (her album is out Nov. 23), talking about the assault with the media for the first time in the first of a three-part appearance on Good Morning America. She is also featured in the upcoming December issue of Glamour as the magazine's "Woman of the Year."

E-Readers: Will Magazine Readers Adapt?

2009-11-04T15:23:12-06:00

It's no secret that almost everyone--including magazine publishers--are trying to digitize magazines and magazine-reading on a widespread scale. But will magazine readers adapt? Folio magazine argues that e-readers "aren't revolutionizing magazines" because the e-readers rob magazines' of their visual appeal--the color, pictures, graphics, design etc. and instead give readers plain text pages. Of course, there is the hope that the upcoming Apple Tablet may be the answer to e-readers' visual inadequacies, but still, we're not so sure.

We've Got You Covered: Magazines.com Top 10 News & Political Magazines

2009-11-03T16:11:58-06:00

Even though this is an off-year Election Day with only a few elections happening, we've got politics on the brain so we've rounded up the top 10 news and political magazines as determined by Magazines.com customers. Many titles in the top 10 are well-known titles, including the number one spot held by Time magazine. Other familiar names are The Economist, The New Yorker and Harper's.

Rounding out the top 10 are less widely known magazines. They are: The Week--a digest of weekly news and opinions; The Weekly Standard--a highly regarded political journal; Mother Jones--a nonprofit news magazine known for its investigative political, social and justice reporting; and American History magazine--known for its lively storytelling.

Are you a politics junkie? Tell us your favorite news and political magazine.

ESPN the Magazine's "Body Issue" a Success

2009-11-02T16:00:07-06:00

Though total sales are still being calculated, ESPN The Magazine has declared "The Body Issue," a success. "The Body Issue," which hit stands last month and featured various athletes--men and women--in various states of undress (though strategically covered) and was dubbed ESPN The Magazine's answer to Sports Illustrated's coveted Swimsuit Edition. The magazine announced plans for a 2010 "Body Issue" edition in its current issue and is now taking reader nominations.

A Bit of (Much-Needed) Holiday Cheer: Plump December Magazine Issues

2009-10-30T14:10:25-05:00

With major layoffs plaguing Time, Inc., Conde Nast and Forbes, the magazine industry is in dire need of some cheering up. So here's it is: Advertising Age reports that ad-spending for December issues is significantly up for several titles including Real Simple, Southern Living, Glamour, Martha Stewart Living, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire and Wired.

Esquire Magazine Cover to Feature 3-D Technology

2009-10-29T16:05:36-05:00

Does anyone remember last year's Esquire cover featuring e-ink technology? The men's magazine is once again experimenting with its cover. This time around Esquire is touting its upcoming December issue that uses 3-D technology as a new “living, breathing, moving, talking magazine,” that combines images and graphics with both its articles and advertisements. The issue, which features actor Robert Downey Jr. on the cover, hits stands next week.

We want to know what you think: Is Esquire magazine's cover innovative or gimmicky?

Glamour Magazine Features First Lady Michelle Obama in Women of the Year Issue

2009-10-28T16:30:20-05:00

For its 2009 edition of its annual Women of the Year issue Glamour magazine features First Lady Michelle Obama on the cover and an interview inside by Glamour columnist Katie Couric. In the interview Mrs. Obama talks about the importance of role models.

Tough Times Continue for Business Magazines

2009-10-27T16:14:13-05:00

Forbes magazine announced yesterday it is facing more layoffs in an attempt to cut costs. This is the latest in a string of other cost-cutting efforts due to dramatic ad page revenue decline.

Unfortunately, Forbes' story is a familiar one in the business magazine category. Fortune magazine recently announced it is cutting its number of issues--from 25 to 18 per year; McGraw-Hill just sold its 80-year-old BusinessWeek to Bloomberg; and Conde Nast's Portfolio closed in April.

In his internal memo announcing the layoffs, Forbes CEO and Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes said of the magazine's struggles, "Media is profoundly being transformed. The traditional ways we created and disseminated content and generated advertising revenue must rapidly evolve. Innovation is critical. On the editorial side, we will maintain the essential strengths of Forbes while also deepening our relationships with our community. On the advertising side, we are making shifts to fully meet marketers' evolving needs."