The Business of Magazines

[Benn98]

I've heard on here that Alexandra previously granted photo approval, and not just to Duchess Catherine and Diana. To others as well.

 

[honeycombchild]

I believe she's previously granted it to Victoria Beckham, but other than that, I don't think Alexandra allowed it at all. Aside from the Royal subjects for which photo approval is always demanded.

 

[MON]

I'm actually scared for what Vogue Poland will turn out to become. The recent editions (beginning from Turkey) have been seriously underwhelming. The team picked either (a) is not that good, or (b) starts well, but ends up being followers to trends than starting one. They need to implement a serious vetting process as to who will end up as the EIC and so on. As a matter of fact, a global editor or a person who will oversee the collective direction of the brand is a must.

It feels like these days, to have a franchise in a country is more than enough for them. Quality no longer means anything.

 

[eizhowa]

Thanks, Benn98

 

[caioherrero]

Vogue Brazil has a new Artistic Director at Large, Yasmine Sterae former Fashion Editor and contributing fashion editor of the magazine, and goddaughter of the CEO of Globo Conde Nast. She is the fashion editor of the this year September issue.

She said in her IG, that with is this new role she is responsible to find new talents, give insights, directing fashion stories, choose photographers and more...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYYeTbBlBgV/?taken-by=yasminesterea

 

[MissMagAddict]

More layoffs coming to Condé Nast this week.
Heavy cuts on the editorial and business teams.

 

[8eight]

U.K. Or us?

 

[MissMagAddict]

U.K. Or us?

The US

 

[t-rex]

Graydon Carter is leaving Vanity Fair at the end of the year

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/media/graydon-carter-vanity-fair.html?mcubz=0

 

[Benn98]

WHAT???? NOOOO!!! Meisel leaving VI wasn't an end of an era, this is!! They may as well close the magazine if that's the case! I'm truly shocked. He's as synonymous with the magazine as Anna Wintour is with US Vogue. Speaking of which, I find it very odd that he's leaving as Anna gained more power in CN. Wouldn't be surprised if she had a hand in his departure.

And the tacky gossip monger Janice Min is seriously a runner up?? Janice Min, she who comes from US Weekly, who revolutionised the 'baby bump' obsession?? Yuck, I'm out!

 

[tigerrouge]

A move likely to coincide with when my subscription runs out...

 

[Marc10]

WHAT???? NOOOO!!! Meisel leaving VI wasn't an end of an era, this is!! They may as well close the magazine if that's the case! I'm truly shocked. He's as synonymous with the magazine as Anna Wintour is with US Vogue. Speaking of which, I find it very odd that he's leaving as Anna gained more power in CN. Wouldn't be surprised if she had a hand in his departure.

And the tacky gossip monger Janice Min is seriously a runner up?? Janice Min, she who comes from US Weekly, who revolutionised the 'baby bump' obsession?? Yuck, I'm out!

Isn't VF in its reality just a posh People Magazine? I don't know, apart from a few nice articles here and there I never really saw any real depth to this magazine...

 

[Lucien112]

Nylon is ceasing print after their October issue and going digital only.

 

[mepps]

Isn't VF in its reality just a posh People Magazine? I don't know, apart from a few nice articles here and there I never really saw any real depth to this magazine...

Vanity Fair has incredible depth. It always has.
Some of the greatest writers and investigative journalists have contributed to it over the decades. For years I read it from cover to cover. It's weakest part imo are the celebrity profiles, which have deteriorated into pr puff pieces the last few years. It wasn't always that way tho.

Yes, it's also about faded European Aristocrats, the internatiuonal jetset, sordid billionaire sex scandals, and murders. I love it! Lol

 

[Benn98]

Isn't VF in its reality just a posh People Magazine? I don't know, apart from a few nice articles here and there I never really saw any real depth to this magazine...

No, never! Lol. You're confusing the magazine with the majority of its readers. VF does have depth, tremendous depth. More than what we're seeing in the Magazines thread anyway. It's really quite a mixed bag. Their reporting on culture, current affairs, politics, celebrity, and sometimes fashion is really unparalleled when mashed together in one issue. They often secured rare exclusives such as covering all the sitting American presidents since Bill Clinton except you-know-who. It wouldn't be out of place to get an in-depth Galliano mea culpa next to a story on a raging war in Congo, rounded out by a scandalous sex or murder mystery of an obscure Euro aristo. I do agree with Mepps that the celebrity features are actually most often the weakest link.

Really don't hope it'll be Janice Min to get the job, but all the industry mavens are pointing to her as the successor. She mysteriously left Hollywood Reporter earlier this year with no other announcements made. And truth be told she did turn that magazine around in a huge way. She even started the 'Hollywood Power Stylists' issue, which only increased the obsession with celebrity fashion. And her ties to the Hollywood establishment will make her a strong candidate. But Vanity Fair serves as both an American and British magazine at the same time. Graydon's affinity for British culture served him and this edition well at times and got them loads of exclusives. I'm not sure whether she's clued up with what's happening beyond America or whether her connections are strong enough, in a cultural sense. She will however push the fashion component of the magazine, which was a bit lacking under Graydon.
Also, the EIC of this issue must be really brazen and ruthless above all. They often cross swords with huge global corporations by reporting on misconduct and the like. Not a year goes by when they're not in the court with a libel suit.

 

[Benn98]

Crikey!!

Graydon Carter’s Exit Leaves Condé Nast Scrambling

The editor in chief told The New York Times before informing Condé staffers.

By Alexandra Steigrad and Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke on September 7, 2017

In the end, Graydon Carter exited Vanity Fair on his terms.

While there had been continual speculation over the last five years or more that Carter was a) being pushed out since he was editor-in-absentia; b) leaving to become a restaurateur, Broadway or movie producer; or c) not having his multimillion-dollar contract renewed because he was demanding too much money, the silver-maned editor caught Condé Nast’s top brass — and the industry overall — off guard on Thursday by revealing he was retiring at the end of the year after a 25-year run.

While the announcement was issued by Condé Nast at around noon, it was clear the timetable had been set by Carter. He had given an interview to The New York Times in his kitchen at home on Wednesday (only a few hours before he happily sat front row at Tom Ford’s show) to talk about his retirement — even before he informed Vanity Fair’s staff and Condé Nast president and chief executive officer Bob Sauerberg the next day.

Carter said in the announcement Thursday: “I’ve loved every moment of my time here and I’ve pretty much accomplished everything I’ve ever wanted to do. I’m now eager to try out this ‘third act’ thing that my contemporaries have been telling me about, and I figure I’d better get a jump on it.”

But sources said Carter’s patience had been wearing thin following Condé’s restructuring last year. One insider said that Carter’s decision to exit may have been sparked by his being asked to develop another property — a classic case of being given more work with fewer resources. Another source said Carter’s resignation sent Condé’s leadership — including Steven Newhouse, Sauerberg and artistic director Anna Wintour — into a tizzy since there is no clear and immediate successor for what is still one of the publishing company’s key revenue drivers.

Insiders at Condé Nast had often pointed to friction between Carter and Wintour, who was elevated to artistic director in 2013. In late 2014, a few potential names had been bandied about as successors for Carter and they were again mentioned as possibilities on Thursday. They included Guggenheim Media’s Janice Min, New York Magazine editor in chief Adam Moss, GQ editor in chief Jim Nelson, as well as dark horses such as British GQ’s editor Dylan Jones and Adam Rapoport, editor in chief of the Food Innovation Group.

Whoever succeeds him as Carter enters what he told The Times will be his “third act” will inherit a magazine that, at the moment, is riding high thanks to the election of Donald Trump. Carter has made headlines once again for publicly battling with Trump. (His feud with the developer turned reality star turned president goes back several decades to Carter’s days at Spy, the magazine he cofounded with Kurt Andersen in 1986, and Carter is responsible for terming Trump a “short-fingered vulgarian.”)

The Trump bump followed Vanity Fair’s cover on Caitlyn Jenner, post-transition, in July 2015 that reversed a several years decline in the title’s relevance as it became known for featuring a string of dead celebrities on its covers. The July 2015 issue would go on to win awards, major buzz and help Vanity Fair drive 9 million unique visitors in a 24-hour time period since posting the image to vanityfair.com. It also helped stir more tension between Carter and Wintour since she is said to have been kept in the dark about the Jenner shoot until the last possible moment.

Even though Carter has been riding high on the Trump wave, sources said company morale has been lower than usual since new chief business officer and president revenue Jim Norton restructured the firm earlier this year. There has also been an episode at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, which likely did not improve matters. Condé Nast did not provide comment. But, more changes are said to be ahead at the publisher this month, including more staff cuts — which also could have factored into Carter’s decision.

Whatever the palace intrigue at One World Trade, on Thursday at least all were playing nice.

“I’ve had the most extraordinarily talented staff, which has made my longevity in this job possible,” Carter said in the announcement. “Indeed, many of the senior staff at the magazine have worked alongside me for my whole time here. We built a magazine with sophistication, wit and an international outlook, on a bedrock of solid journalism. And Vanity Fair has been tremendously profitable. I don’t think there’s a monthly magazine anywhere with a greater reach.”

“Others will do a far greater job of chronicling the successes and highlights of Graydon’s groundbreaking career, but I will simply say that Condé Nast wouldn’t be the same company had we not hired him 25 years ago,” Sauerberg told WWD. “Graydon is a friend, an icon, a one-of-a-kind leader, and he has built an incredibly strong and powerful foundation that ensures Vanity Fair’s future and continued success.”

Carter, 68, has been editor in chief at Vanity Fair since 1992, when he succeeded Tina Brown, who left to run The New Yorker. During his time helming the magazine, he instituted franchises including The New Establishment and made the magazine’s annual Oscar’s party into an A-List must.

The Canadian-born editor became a larger than life figure in elite New York media and cultural circles. In addition to presiding over Vanity Fair and attracting a stable of well-respected writers, Carter is the co-owner of two restaurants, the Waverly Inn and Monkey Bar, and produced several movies and a 2013 one-woman play starring Bette Midler. Carter is also said to be a co-owner in a yet-to-be opened Upper East Side bar and restaurant that will host salon-like events. There is also talk that the space, which is on East 61st Street and Madison, will include a book store and a screening room. — With contributions from Bobbi Queen

Source: WWD.com

 

[Benn98]

Exclusive: Garage Magazine Names Vogue’s Mark Guiducci as Editor in Chief
Guiducci succeeds Thessaly La Force, who decamped for T Magazine.

By Alexandra Steigrad on September 7, 2017

Garage Magazine has a new editor in chief.

Mark Guiducci, Vogue Magazine’s arts editor, has been tapped to helm Dasha Zhukova’s biannual art and fashion glossy. Guiducci replaces Thessaly La Force, who decamped for The New York Times’ T Magazine as features director after less than a year there.

Guiducci spent seven years at Condé Nast where he covered culture, entertainment and fashion, first for Vanity Fair for two years, and then more recently at Vogue for five years.

Guiducci told WWD: “After more than seven years at Condé Nast, I’m thrilled to start my next chapter at Vice, as editor in chief of Garage. I look forward to reimagining the biannual magazine with full-scale digital editorial launching in October. I’m so grateful to Anna Wintour for her mentorship and support in my next step.”

In 2016, Zhukova sold a majority stake in Garage to Vice Media, which is helping the title build out its digital and video presence. Vice’s decision to invest in Garage follows a similar strategy it has with i-D, the fashion glossy it purchased in 2012. That strategy includes courting non-endemic advertisers, namely those in the fashion, beauty and luxury space.

At a Garage party in June, Tom Punch, Vice’s chief commercial and creative officer explained as much to WWD:

“The way we see it, the luxury mind-set has shifted quite a lot,” Punch offered. “Before we did this partnership, Chanel came to us about a year ago asking to do a big research project about what does it mean to be a Millennial who is interested in luxury today and how has that shifted in terms of 20 years ago.”

Source: WWD.com

 

[Benn98]

Exclusive: Nylon to Shutter Print Edition

The downtown fashion mag is going to be digital-only.

By Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke on September 7, 2017

The September issue of Nylon will be the title's penultimate print edition.

Nylon magazine will shutter its print edition and become digital-only, WWD has learned. The magazine’s October issue will be its last in print. As a result of the closure, the print edition’s 12 person staff will be let go.

“As a result of the restructure, there will be about one dozen layoffs effective immediately. We would like to thank those employees for their dedication in keeping Nylon continuously ahead of the curve,” Marc Luzzatto, executive chairman of Nylon Media, said in an announcement. “As platforms emerge and change, our voice, content and brand keep getting stronger, as do our array of marketing solutions.”

The Nylon staff learned the news on Thursday afternoon.

As part of the shift to digital, Nylon will attempt to capitalize on its young female audience via video, an influencer program and an internal creative agency, Nylon Studios.

“Nylon Studios and its hypercreative team have a deep understanding of our Millennial and Gen Z audience, and creates highly impactful integrated campaigns for the industry’s most iconic brands,” said Jamie Elden, president and chief revenue officer of Nylon Media.

Rumors of the print edition’s demise have been floating around for years.

In 2014, Nylon Holdings Inc. was sold to the web site FashionIndie.com. A year later, Nylon Guys was discontinued in print and became all-digital. Not long after, the magazine cut 13 staffers, including then-publisher Dana Fields. At the time, insiders predicted it wouldn’t be long until the title went digital-only.

In that way, the title exceeded expectations.

Source: WWD.com

 

[MON]

This makes me sad! I truly enjoyed reading Vanity Fair. Got tired of them at some point, but if recent times, they managed to turn things around for the better.

The new EIC should not be merely a person who's fascinated with fashion/celeb gossip. He/she has to be well-rounded as f**k. VF talks about politics et al.! I'd hate to see muted and toned down headlines like "perfect skin for the summer" "the new princess" "love"

 

[Benn98]

Must say, the man's got so much game! To blindside CN like this? Serves them right for the way they tend to get rid of editors and for screwing over Linda Wells.

Also, this stood out for me:

It also helped stir more tension between Carter and Wintour since she is said to have been kept in the dark about the Caitlyn Jenner shoot until the last possible moment.

It has been said in hushed tones over and over that he never reports to Anna in the traditional sense. That he does his own thing. Apparently they've had their stand-offs in the past (over Dolce & Gabbana, over Goop, etc). So it was never an easy relationship. Whoever will get the job will obviously be a puppet. I'm sure CN will keep it in-house once again with their own editors. Dylan Jones or Adam Moss, please.