The Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt issue of People supposedly moved "only" 2.5 million newsstand copies, considered a disappointment for its share of a $14 million investment. The September issues of fashion glossies like Vogue and W have been dieting; they're hitting newsstands with fewer ad pages, when this month's editions are supposed to communicate heft.
Need more evidence the magazine industry should just throw in the towel?
Jann Wenner is taking Rolling Stone for a dip in the pool, and letting shrinkage kick in — he's cutting the book's signature size by 25.5 square inches. When the new Village Voice hit, we mistook it for an insert. What to think of the new Rolling Stone when its itsy-bitsy form hits newsstands in October?
Somehow old man Wenner convinced the New York Times this was an aesthetic decision, not a reaction to industry money-hemorrhaging. Nothing to see over here folks, Rolling Stone is doing just fine! Nobody panic!
Yes, Rolling Stone still has the highest paid distribution in history, and maybe the switch to a smaller, "perfect bound" (glued instead of stapled pages = fewer reading-related injuries?) book was due in part to the fact that Rolling Stone's current size makes it difficult to put on shelves. Also, people don't like reading big pages filled with words, without any advertising to break it up:
In the large format, long articles often turn up as daunting expanses of almost uninterrupted type. With the revision, such pages are smaller and less intimidating, and more likely to be broken up with photographs. Sections filled with shorter items look less cluttered with fewer of them on a page. Smaller design changes give the pages a slightly airier, cleaner look.
But it's hard to believe Wenner when he says, “All you’re getting from that large size is nostalgia."
That's just a clever way of spinning the cut as a move towards a hipper, more accessible audience. Which is, ironically, what he would prefer to do. If he wants to accomplish that, he'll do less of this.
But why does Rolling Stone all of a sudden want to "fit in" with other magazines? Since its get-go, Wenner billed the mag as a revolutionary trailblazer; that it was bigger, albeit flimsier, than its rival music mags. Its larger size made that statement from a distance.
In reporting the story, the Times inevitably reminds us of its own downsizing, when the broadsheet got trimmed into something more handheld. Pure coincidence that, ever since, it's become even less relevant?
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Rolling Stone and Village Voice are actually two excellent publications–you can't really blame them for shrinking their size as newsprint, gas, health insurance and production costs have risen at newspapers and magazines nationwide. But Rolling Stone should actually keep its current look–if it ain't broke, don't fix it. TV Guide changed its look–and went right downt the tubes. Others who have messed with the look that people actually like have seen subscriptions, ad revenues and profts drop. It's pretty simple: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some cliches hold true.
How can anyone believe the People Mag sales figure from ex Life&Style writer, when as you know that Mark P is used to fabricating stories about Brad and Angelina when he was editor at L&S.
And how can he say that it only moved 2.5m when it is till selling in the newstands. Im sure he is just making up the number coz he doesnt even name his sources. And how is it a huge disappointment to People, when in fact it only paid US$7m and not US% 14m, as it split the costs with HEllo MAg.
And what is annoying with that Cover awards blogger, he moderates the comments and do not print negative comments on him.
What a shame it's downsizing. As far as I'm concerned the large format IS The Rolling Stone, now it's just gonna blend in with the rest.
The fact that People sold about 1.1m copies more than its ave sales of 1.4m is very good, and People did not pay US$ 14m it only paid US$7m, as half of it was paid by Hello, which has its own circulation.
Im sure the figure is just an early guess by the blogger, and is not the correct number since it it still selling. In fact, People with the twins cover has not even reach Asia as of today. And the Jolie-Pitts are very popular in Asia. Lots of people are waiting for the mags here.
To fancy: I was going to say the same. Mark & his cough, cough, cough source need to take a remedial math class.Pronto.
It's a shame on the downsizing. RR is better in the larger format. I don't like my RR feeling like a comic book.
One thing is for sure, Mark P. (along with every blogger) knows writing about the J/P's will give him hits from fans and non fans alike.;-)
The Rolling Stone stopped being relevant when it went to a magazine format from it's newspaper format AND when the Beatles started passing away.
As someone else pointed out in the comments for that site:
Shiloh’s issue sold 2.3 million newsstand copies at a price of $3.99.
The Twins issue sold 2.5 million newsstand copies at a price of $4.50.
Besides which, the cover of the twins' issue says to display until August 25, 13 days from now.