As dozens of CosmoGIRL! staffers suddenly find themselves without jobs after today's shuttering — or being "transitioned" into gigs at Seventeen, which Hearst will probably make them re-apply for — it's worth remembering that this office was the same one cheering when competitors like Teen People (July 2006) and ELLEgirl (April 2006) folded.
A knowledgeable insider who worked in the teen category at the time tells us that some, but not all, CosmoGIRL! staffers "danced in the hallways" when they saw these magazines fold. Which, on the one hand, makes sense: Down with the competition! But also, mags like Teen People and ELLEgirl didn't fold because they were terrible magazines (or only because), but because the category was crumbling.
And that isn't exactly something staffers at CosmoGIRL!, which relied on those same advertising dollars and tween readers, should have been dancing the Macarena about.
Rather, they should have been panicking, since the shuttering of your peers "is a clear indication that your shared audience is shrinking and you could very well be next." All that said, we're assured editor-in-chief Susan Schulz did not lead the rally cries.
Editorial Director
I used to work at a teen magazine, and we were terrified when ElleGirl folded. How any print publication cheers when a competitor goes under isn't only instant bad karma - it's unbelievably stupid. There are some good people at CosmoGirl who lost their jobs, and I feel badly for them, but the cocky bitches who danced on the ElleGirlTeenPeople grave are getting what they deserve today.
How does it feel?
When ANY mag folds — competitor or not — it scares me. What a truly classless move from these CosmoBitches. Now they get to find a job in an already over-saturated market. Karma, karma ….
I was there when this happened and the majority of the staff was disgusted by the way these women were acting. We had friends at those magazines and were also concerned about our future. I just wish you had said their names because they deserved to get called out.
So name names! Who were the dancers? Do a 'Carolyn Hinsey' on 'em!
well, I don't know about susan, but I do know that atoosa had champagne
that's when teen people folded, btw
I heard the dancing was lead by Chandra Czape
Karma Chameleon — is the name I heard right?
I wasn't a huge fan, but it's a sad day when what used to be such an enormous category is down to Seventeen and Teen Vogue. Is Teen still around?
Who's got names? Send them: david@jossip.com
I used to work for CG!, and yes, I was there the day ElleGirl folded, and yes there was some celebrating. Mostly by Chandra. But I agree with one of the previous posts. As a former CG! editor, I can vouch that there are some very talented ladies there..in editorial and fashion. I wish them well. As for those at the top…well, all I can say is so true what they say. What goes around comes around. When you screw people over, personally or professionally (even the assistants) who you think don't matter), it comes back to you.
CG! is a great magazine though. I'll be sad to see it go!
I think the EGs felt love from the other teen magazine editors post folding, so it's not that big of a deal if some of them celebrated a little. It's a silly thing to do but I don't think anyone who did it meant to be evil deep down.
how sad!!! i used to "work" for CG like 3 yrs ago as a reader contributor and i always had the best of times there.
teen people started as a sex neutral magazine, they even had male readers praising them for being neutral, since there was/is few magazines that are for male teeangers.
after a few issues, it just became another women' magazine full of ads for women only, that sure drove all the male readers away.