• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, June 23, 2006

A new magazine for professional women set on breaking the proverbial "glass ceiling" of gender discrimination in the upper echelons of the executive world--the aptly named Shattered--was launched in mid-June by Shattered Magazine LLC, a privately owned publishing firm based in New York. "Coverage of women in business tends to focus on a few female corporate superstars or the difficulties women face in juggling career and family," according to Julie Ros, publisher and editor in chief. Ros went on: "There are no titles that portray successful women in business as the norm. Shattered is that magazine." The title will be the first business/lifestyle magazine launched with global distribution--leveraging an international network of female professionals at banks, professional associations, and academic institutions, mostly located in Anglophone-legacy countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and South Africa. Corporate partners include Lehman Brothers and UBS. Editorial content will cover a range of industries, including banking and finance, science, technology, law, industry, and media. The magazine will also feature lifestyle sections addressing the particular needs of busy professional women. In September, the magazine will begin publishing on a monthly basis, with 10 issues per year.

Rumble in Vegas: FHM Joins Casino Fray

Just a few weeks after Dennis Publishing's lad mag giant, Maxim, announced its plans to open a luxurious new casino on the Las Vegas strip, competitor FHM is establishing a virtual gaming presence in partnership with Cantor Gaming, the magazine announced this week. Analysts say that online gaming rakes in a total of $15 billion a year, and FHM hopes to catch some of this bonanza by driving traffic to its "online casino" from the main FHM Web site, which receives 2 million unique users every month.

Blender and Best Buy Team Up

Blender, Dennis Publishing's hip youth music title, announced Thursday that it is partnering with big box retailer Best Buy to roll out "Blender-approved" CD sections in Best Buy's brick-and-mortar stores as well as online. The six-month program will highlight Blender's recommended CD purchases in 658 Best Buy stores around the country, and will also appear on both partner's Web sites. The Blender-approved CDs span multiple genres, including albums from Joan Jett, Cam'ron, the Dixie Chicks, and Def Leppard. Bestbuy.com receives more than 20 million unique visitors a month, including a high concentration of young men with disposable income and an interest in music.

Hour Media Buys Absolute

Hour Media, which publishes New York Home, announced Monday that it has acquired Absolute--a New York-focused luxury lifestyle magazine that targets New Yorkers with income over $500,000 a year with stories about art, restaurants, jewelry, real estate, cars, and philanthropy. John Balardo has been named president of Hour Media's new division, Absolute Publishing, and Debi Brandt will be publisher. Starting in October, Absolute will publish bimonthly issues.

Trump Magazine Goes Public

Trump Magazine--an aspirational luxury lifestyle quarterly targeting men with the uniquely brassy charisma and high-living sensibility of real estate mogul Donald Trump--announced a preliminary public stock offering on Wednesday. According to publisher and editor Michael Jacobson, the financial aspects of the IPO are being managed by Legend Merchant Group, an investment banking firm. Trump's publisher, the Premiere Publishing Group, was approved as a public company on June 19th. The infusion of capital will in part go to expanding the magazine's newsstand distribution, where it sells for $4.99 an issue. Total circulation, including free copies for Trump properties, runs about 200,000. PPG also owns Poker Life Magazine.

Sarah Humphreys Named Editor of MSLO's Blueprint

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Blueprint announced Monday that Sarah Humphreys will be joining the magazine as editor, replacing Rebecca Thuss, who left before the magazine's launch on May 1st. Humphreys will have broad responsibilities for content development across multiple platforms, including TV and radio. Humphreys previously served as special projects director at Time Inc.'s Real Simple, overseeing international editions in Japan and elsewhere. Humphreys also worked as a senior editor at Budget Living. Blueprint's initial rate base for its May launch was 250,000.

AARP's Fishman Takes Control of Events

AARP Publications group publisher Jim Fishman has been promoted to vice president and publisher of AARP Services, Inc., the organization announced Wednesday. Fishman is still responsible for AARP's magazine titles, but will now also direct AARP events and sponsorships. According to Steve Mason, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, "with the amazing success Jim has had building the advertising base for AARP Publications, he is a natural choice to lead this new integrated business unit."