• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, March 12, 2009

With the closure of two lifestyle/enthusiast magazines, Best Life and Travel + Leisure Golf, a third almost slipped by unnoticed: Tennis Week, a magazine that targets aficionados of professional tennis, is suspending its print publication through 2009 to "focus on its online Web site." Given the recent trend of magazines folding their print edition while maintaining an online presence, it would seem that Tennis Week's print edition is closing, although the note to readers on the Web site says it's "on hiatus."

Brandusa Niro, the senior vice president of IMG Publishing (which bought the title in February 2006) positioned it as a "timely evolution of the Tennis Week brand and a shift in format based on reader and viewer demand." Brandusa added: "We certainly respect the heritage of the Tennis Week print edition, but covering the game these days requires immediacy and urgency, and we must address the new media habits of tennis fans. They want instant news, they want video--and they want content that moves as fast as the game itself."

Coming from a niche publication with a loyal following, the idea of a transition to Web-based publishing is less of a stretch than, say, Teen People--which competed in print and online markets that were both saturated while folding the print edition, Time Inc. said it would keep the Web site alive, but after a year this expired too. Indeed, Tennis Week's Web site is leveraging all the advantages of online publishing, including substantial video offerings. According to the publishers, the Web site's unique visitors and page views both increased 50% in February 2009 compared to the same month in 2008. IMG has signed distribution deals with MSN and Fox Sports to syndicate the Web site's news and video content across their video platforms around the world.

By contrast, Travel + Leisure Golf's Web site is also closing along with the magazine's print edition. The fate of the Bestlife Web site remains undecided, but if other recent magazine closings are any indication, there's a good chance it will fold too.

Conde Nast Signs Up with Hulu

Conde Nast is going to distribute online video content from its magazines via Hulu, the Web video destination created by NBC and others to compete with YouTube. This means that Hulu will get online video from sites like Wired.com, Style.com, and Vogue.TV, increasing Conde's distribution in return for part of the advertising revenue. Hulu joins a distribution network for Conde content that already includes AOL, MSN, and Yahoo.

Modern Luxury Buys Scottsdale

Modern Luxury Media, which publishes high-end regional glossies targeting the wealthy, announced this week that it has acquired Scottsdale magazine from its owner and publisher, Vicki Collins Edwards. The 33-year-old magazine is well-established in the Phoenix-Scottsdale market, which boasts heavy traffic by wealthy resort and spa-goers, in addition to its own native well-heeled set. After acquiring Scottsdale, Modern Luxury said it will take the magazine on a six-month hiatus while it is completely re-staffed and redesigned. The magazine represents Modern Luxury's 14th market publication.

Godshall Named EVP, Consumer Marketing by MPA

The Magazine Publishers of America has named Kenneth Godshall its new executive vice president for consumer marketing, the industry organization announced earlier this week. In this capacity, he will be responsible for initiatives advancing the magazine industry's interests in subscription, retail, and digital channels. He will be taking the position formerly occupied by Jeremy Koch, who is leaving the MPA to join an Internet startup. Previously, Godshall served as senior vice president for consumer marketing at Hearst Magazines, a post he held from 2004 to 2008.