Overmatter 02.11.12
D&AD announce this years awards juries, including the Magazine and Newspaper team, headed by Mark Porter and including Richard Turley and Jo Cochrane.
New York Times Magazine editor Hugo Lindgren pays tribute to Eureka magazine.
I spoke at Mr Magazine’s ACT II conference last year and found it an inspiring event; here’s a review of this year’s ACT III.
Martha Stewart’s publishing company contracts; titles for sale, staff redundant.
See/hear about the new issue of Aortica magazine, the Auckland issue (video).
Seven reasons to consider print for your content strategy (thanks Carl).
Newsweek axes print
The final print edition of Newsweek will appear on Dec 31 this year, after which the title will be digital-only. Meanwhile The Guardian are busy denying reports – in today’s Daily Telegraph – that they are planning a similar move soon.
More on Newsweek here.
Overmatter 16 07 12
Newscorp to decide on future of Rupert Murdoch’s much-trumpeted but poor The Daily news app.
Back in 1989 Emigré wrote about the challenge to designers presented by the arrival of a new technology, in that case the then new DTP software. Strikingly similar issues face us today as we add interactivity to our workflow.
Magazines – the new bling?
Five strategies to avoid getting lost in the filter bubble, including editor-as-curator.
British woman has a collection of magazines for sale including 80s Vogues. Email her for details: alicemariegrace11 [at] live.co.uk
News of the World, RIP
I couldn’t bring myself to buy a copy of last Sunday’s final edition of the News of the World, but here for the record is its front page. Apparently it included just a few paragraphs about the phone-hacking scandal that brought about its demise; otherwise it was a look back at the many stories, some important, it has broken over the years.
Like most people I’m relishing seeing Murdoch’s corporation wobble and cheer at the thought it might yet come crashing down. But I also share Peter Wilby’s concerns expressed in his excellent Guardian piece yesterday. The NotW at its best had a role to play in checking those in power. In classic ‘Animal Farm’ style it latterly mislaid that role and started abusing power itself. It may be a victim of its own excesses but who/what will assume that previous role?
The other thing to note is that the hugely successful NotW effectively subsidised Murdochs loss-making Times and Sunday Times newspapers. Will the Times go next? If it gets sold who would buy it?
While we await further twists I recommend a read of Adam Curtis’ excellent summary of Murdoch’s 1968 arrival in the UK to buy his first media property. Which was, of course, a newspaper called the News of the World. It’s the start of the current story in every sense.
The Last Issue
Here’s the final issue of Design Week, published yesterday. Without time to prepare a special goodbye – the team were told at 10am Monday morning – it’s a regular issue with a brief note from the publishers about the titles digital future, a bravely positive letter from departing editor of 22 years Lynda Relph-Knight, and this bold cover.
Part of a broader shake-up at Centaur Publishing that also sees the closure of New Media Age and 60 jobs lost, the Design Week team has been cut back to three people. They will work under Creative Review editor Patrick Burgoyne.
Creative Review already has a very strong digital presence, so it’ll be interesting to see how the two titles co-exist online. The CR blog has been a huge success, extending the Creative Review brand internationally and increasing ad income. Design Week’s model was quite different, their blog a subscriber-only service.
Overmatter 06.05.11
McSweeney’s announce Lucky Peach, a new food quarterly that arrives next month.
Back in the nineties Urban Outfitters published a newspaper called Slanted. Austin is selling a set on eBay.
SPD Blog gathers the Osama Bin Laden covers, including a particularly tasteless one from The Stranger.
‘The numbers 2 and 3 in their markets, may struggle’ – Condé Nast general manager Albert Reed’s contribution to a Media Week round-up on the state of the UK industry…
…while in the US Folio notes 54 new launches, 24 closures so far this year.
News of next Printout! evening soon…
Overmatter
New York magazine has an in-depth interview with ‘Martha Stewart for the global elite’ Tyler Brulé. Reveals a liking for knee-length long johns from
German underwear brand Schiesser and a dislike of New York street lights.
Stack America have some special offers this December. Go on…!
Win a shiney ‘Tron’ print over at the Little White Lies Facebook page.
Meanwhile as one magazine store closes in Manhattan (before and after, thanks @touristique)…
…another opens in Vancouver. Hello, Motto.
Overmatter
MagForum takes an in-depth look at the rights and wrongs of PhotoShop manipulation.
The cull continues: according to FIPP/PPA there are 319 fewer magazines in the UK now, that’s a 10% drop year on year. Sounds bad, but still a long way to drop before the market shrinks below pre-boom numbers.
Why can’t newspaper publishers produce decent consumer magazines? An editor muses on recent experiences.
Eye magazine finds more out about PopShot (copies still in stock to buy here).
I like the look of Wholphin, another McSweeney’s publication.
Overmatter
Genius: sticky labels to warn people about lazy PR-driven journalism. Which magazine/newspaper would you use them on?
I’m generally bored by designer monographs, but for this I’ll make an exception. Coming next year, it’s Mike Meiré – the book.
Following last year’s rather cold sex issue overseen by Peter Saville, Wallpaper* tries again with its September issue, and succeeds. In the issue: air hostesses’ uniforms, leather, Taschen, the search for the perfectly designed penis (seriously). They’ve even made an erotic movie in collaboration with RSA films. Plus a look at the new breed of independent fashion magazines such as Hero and Industrie.
Private Fraser: ‘Publishing companies always claim to be in the content business, but if the truth be told, a lot of them aren’t very good at it’. Sadly true. More here.
Meanwhile check out the lateset UK sales figures via Press Gazette. Mixed messages: quality up, mens market battered.
Where the iPad leads, others follow. Coming soon to stores near you, 32 competitor tablet devices. Not nearly enough.
Overmatter
Girl With a Satchel interviews UK Glamour editor Jo Elvin on the magazines 10th anniversary.
Following my post about Underwood, here’s another print-vinyl project: Big Mag from Rotterdam.
Canada’s Snap! magazine has published a special issue celebrating paper and print. See it, ahem, online here.
Michael Surtees notes this beautiful chart about food trucks from New York. Read it online here.
US magazine shut downs slow down, but launches don’t pick up.
