• by Erik Sass , March 2, 2006

The mother of all music magazines announced Wednesday that it is opening up shop in China. Rolling Stone's newest licensed foreign edition will feature a mix of Rolling Stone's branded American content and local reporting on Chinese stars and events, said Rolling Stone Executive Editor Joe Levy. The first issue of the Chinese edition features a rare in-depth interview with Cui Jian, the "Chinese Bob Dylan" who popularized the genre there, as well as American content.

Asked whether Rolling Stone's American edition coordinated business strategy with foreign editions, Levy confirmed that "we had our first meeting of the editors of the international editions here in New York last year." The summit "opened lines of communication" that have served the different editions well, Levy said. Levy confirmed that the various international editions share information on advertising and media strategy as well as editorial matters: "What benefits them benefits us, and we share whatever information we have as regards art, editorial, and advertising."

Furthermore, "as far as advertising goes, the power of the 'Rolling Stone' brand is a calling card worldwide," Levy boasted. "It makes it much easier for the licensees to approach advertisers in a local market than it would be for, say, a totally new magazine just starting up."

Of course, Rolling Stone's global presence gives the different editions an indisputable advantage by allowing editorial staff to stay on top of new trends, and easing the logistics of reporting on the global music scene.

Levy pointed to the recent Rolling Stones' concert in Rio de Janeiro as an example--with 1.5 million attendees, one of the largest rock concerts in history. "For me, as editor of Rolling Stone's American edition here in New York, it's a huge help for me that I know Rolling Stone Argentina is going to cover it and I don't need to send a film crew. That's an example where the global reach of the brand benefits us here in New York," Levy said.

Likewise, Levy forecasted immediate benefits for Rolling Stone China: "The Stones are coming to China in the near future. They're planning their tour dates in China right now, and when they arrive, the Chinese edition will benefit from all the reporting the other editions have done beforehand."