Fortune Gets
Redesign
More shakeups in the business magazine category: Following the sale of SmartMoney to Dow Jones, Fortune unveiled a sweeping redesign with its March 4 issue -- the latest
in a series of revamps, redesigns and relaunches by business magazines struggling to rebound after a terrible year. Earlier, Fortune announced that it is reducing its publishing schedule from
25 issues per year to 18.
According to a note from managing editor Andy Serwer on the Fortune Web site: "Regular readers will see that the changes we have made are substantial, yet
evolutionary." Responding to readers' demand for more information about how to manage their careers, both within corporate America and as independent entrepreneurs, Fortune is introducing two
new sections: Careers and Venture.
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It's also getting a new opinion section, with contributors including CNBC Squawk Box anchor and former Wall Street Journal reporter Becky Quick. The
magazine is printing on higher-quality paper stock, and got a new graphic look and format, "reworking the architecture and display of this new magazine to better reflect its mission."
One thing
that's not changing is "the big Fortune story" -- the long, thoughtful, feature story that is the centerpiece of each issue. Serwer emphasized: "Fortune's commitment to the
highest-quality, long-form narrative storytelling is stronger than ever."
Business magazines in general took it on the chin in 2009, according to ad page figures from the Publishers Information
Bureau -- not surprising, given the dire state of the economy -- and Fortune led the way with a 36% decline in ad pages in 2009, to 1,524.
For comparison, Barrons fell 27.8% to
1,027, Black Enterprise fell 26% to 583, BusinessWeek fell 33.8% to 1,247, Entrepreneur fell 18.3% to 852, Fast Company fell 30.9% to 426, Forbes fell 30.2% to
1,937, Inc. fell 24.2% to 620, Kiplinger's Personal Finance fell 34.1% to 280, Money fell 29.1% to 563, and SmartMoney fell 22.9% to 387.
Playboy Prepares
for More Cuts
Playboy Enterprises Inc. is wielding the cost-cutting axe again, with plans to cut its workforce substantially and outsource many of its operations. Newly appointed CEO Scott
Flanders told the Chicago Tribune that outsourcing could allow the company to lay off as many as half of its current 573 employees.
Flanders anticipates several strategic moves in 2010,
including a joint venture or partnership arrangement and more licensing deals, which will make the company smaller but more profitable. Playboy recently turned over its Asia operations to IMG
Licensing Worldwide, and has licensing deals in the works to open branded entertainment venues in Mexico and Miami. Recently, Flanders outsourced the printing and distribution of Playboy.
Vogue Launches iPhone App
Joining the growing group of magazines with branded mobile apps, Vogue is launching an iPhone app that allows users to get styling and shopping
advice from the fashion industry's leading consumer magazine. Called the "Vogue Stylist," it enables mobile e-commerce by allowing users to click on an ad, or take a picture of a magazine ad, and
navigate directly to various e-commerce sites selling the items featured in each "look."
The app also allows users to compose virtual looks based on their existing and potential wardrobes,
locating the items in their current collection and mixing and matching these with potential buys. The Vogue app also generates item recommendations based on the user's expressed style
preferences, with discounts and other rewards for using the e-commerce function.
Kahan Leaves ASME
Marlene Kahan, the executive director of the American Society of Magazine Editors, is
leaving the organization, resigning from a position she has held since 1990. However, Kahan will continue to participate in the organization's annual National Magazine Awards. Kahan was diagnosed with
early-onset Parkinson's in 2003.