It was a travel day for me. (Perhaps I’ll post a picture.) I didn’t know, however, that I took part in an historic event until I read on nytimes.com tonight that a couple of concourses at BWI airport were the first to see the introduction of federally-employed airport screeners.

I went through one of these checkpoints today and was impressed with the operation. Perhaps because this is the first group, I was seeing the varsity squad. But they were impressive: friendly and confident, but with an air of authority missing from the rent-a-screener bunch one usually finds. These guys (and they were mostly guys) seem like former MPs. Some even had the appearance of those bodyguard types you see at rock concerts. My screener looked like Jesse Ventura.

Circulation Management magazine reports that, “The decades-old trend of ever-increasing aggregate consumer magazine circulation is now history.” It’s a fairly wonky article, but includes lots of silver lining along with the stormy news. But the sound bite “circulation is down” message is what will be reported. (via iwantmedia.com)

The NY Times has a feature today about The New Yorker’s editor David Remnick. He and David Carey deserve all the credit they receive for “saving” the best magazine published.

Quote:

The New Yorker’s readers apparently like what they see and are renewing at a rate, 76.5 percent, that is usually reserved for life-sustaining prescriptions. Even as the subscription price has risen, paid circulation has climbed 9 percent in Mr. Remnick’s four years as editor to 878,903, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations for the six months ended Dec. 31, 2001. Ad pages have been tougher to come by (through May 6, they are down 11.2 percent this year compared to the same period last year) but even so, The New Yorker is outperforming the industry.

Losses at the magazine, a fact of life since Advance Publications bought it in 1985, are between $6 million and $8 million, according to officials at Condé Nast. While not an insignificant amount, the figure is a far cry from the $30 million the magazine lost in 1993, Ms. Brown’s first full year. Mr. Remnick and David Carey, the publisher of The New Yorker, say they believe that a recovery in the broader ad market will bring profitability.

This article on tvinsite.com, while poorly researched and reported, looks at the “trend” of extending a cable TV brand to a magazine.

Interesting topic, but the article is filled with such useless quotes as this:

“If you do it right, it can be a tremendous asset,” said The Yankee Group senior analyst Mike Goodman. “It has to fall into the product mix. If it doesn’t, you are better off saving your money and focusing elsewhere.”

Thank you, Mr. Goodman. I usually pick up a magazine from the newstand based on how well it fits into the product mix, don’t you? My advice: If you’re thinking of using the services of the Yankee Group to help you decide whether or not to launch a magazine, you are better off saving your money and focusing elsewhere.

The article also sets off my pet peeve meter with this undocumented “fact” the reporter made up:

The weak and uncertain advertising environment, combined with ongoing increases in paper and postage costs, have made for a chilly climate for any new publication.

For the record, there is never a “sunny climate” for launching any new publication. But that doesn’t stop magazines from launching — even in these chilly days of Spring, 2002.

The Tennessean breaks the story that Nashville Vice Mayor Ronnie Steine, an announced candidate for the open Tennessee 5th district U.S. congressional seat, is dropping out of the race. It seems he miscalculated when he thought that a little shoplifting incident last December wouldn’t come up during the campaign.

Quote:

“I did something wrong. It was a mistake and in answer to your question which everyone will ask me: ‘Ronnie, what were you thinking?’ Obviously I wasn’t thinking.”

While I would have to agree with the folks who are asking, “What were you thinking?” my question would be directed at his decision to enter the congressional race rather than his decision to shoplift. The decision to shoplift was, I hope, an impulsive blunder. The decision to run for congress required careful consideration.

Ronnie Steine is, according to mutual friends, a great person who has done a lot for his community. Just last week I learned about an inspiring program he helped start that provides a safe setting where recovering addicted teens can finish high school. I am sorry he finds himself in this uncomfortable position and am grateful that time is a great healer.

DMNews reports MKTG SF and Prosumer Media Corp. yesterday announced a collaboration to launch Dig_iT, a magazine they claimed would be a digital lifestyle publication.

A week ago, I feared I was blogging too much about magazines closing. Now, I’m blogging my third magazine launch announcement of the week, a new title from the creator of Frommer’s Budget Travel called Budget Living. It’s must be a busy time for Mr. Magazine.

InsightExpress, an online market research company, says a survey they conducted earlier this month reveals Americans greatly prefer dead-tree magazines over digital ones.

Quote:

Today, less than one in three individuals (32%) read any magazines online as readers cite inconvenience (54%); dislike of online banner ads, pop-ups, and general distractions (47%); prices of online magazines (43%); and eye strain (23%) as the main reasons for staying away from online magazines.

Readers so prefer traditional to online that even of those people who regularly read online magazines, only 22% actually prefer reading magazines online - while 73% expressed that they would not forgo their paper magazine for an online alternative - even for half the price. In fact, while a majority of respondents (63%) currently pay for a traditional magazine subscription - nearly 80% expect online magazines to be free.

The survey was was not all bad news for online magazines, however. According to a press release about the survey, readers believe that online publications provide more timely content (59%) Yet, only 22% perceive that online magazines provide higher quality content than their print versions.

“Though online magazines have an advantage in that they can deliver real-time news and information, they don’t stand a chance when competing for a reader’s undivided attention,” summed up Lee Smith. “Online publications are not the magic bullet publishers were hoping for to retain readership.”

No, I’m not having a theme day.

It’s just that magazines aimed at “frisky” young men seem to be in the news today.

Abercrombie & Fitch, whose A&E Quarterly shows the power of custom publishing as dramatically as any relationship marketing effort I know, is the American master of controversy marketing. The company leverages its advertising dollars into publicity millions through its Benetton-lite antics.

Last week, it was the Asians who were boycotting Abercrombie. This week it’s the Illinois State Legislature and a coalition of “save the family” groups. Their gripe with the company? Oh, it’s that custom published magazine, A&E Quarterly, I was mentioning earlier.

It’s seems the current issue of A&E Quarterly is too hot for words (but who reads the words, anyway?). It’s all about sex and and college students. If you’re wondering what’s in the issue, the American Decency Association issued this press release that includes various graphic descriptions of A&E Quarterly content.

Direct Quote:

The following examples epitomize what follows through the first 119 pages of the catalog: Page 2 & 3: nude couple splashing in water — rear nudity, female frontal nudity; page 5: Close up photograph of nude couple, focusing on the girl’s bare breasts, etc.,etc…

All I want to know is how much did Abercrombie & Fitch pay the American Decency Association to issue this? And why isn’t this press release dated April 1?

I hope this is my last post of the day regarding magazines targeting hormonally-elevated young males.

Speaking of Maxim (which is something I continue to say I won’t do), in what has to be the most unusual magazine brand extension strategy ever, the magazine is partnering with Just for Men to launch a “randy” new line of hair coloring products, Maxim Magazine Haircolor. No, really.

My favorite color is “bleach blond.”

Check out this oh-so-hip and relevant ad copy:

Well, we hope you’re sitting down, because we’ve got something new for you…. Maxim Magazine Hair Color. We’ve teamed up with Just For Men® to launch the first Haircare line of it’s kind exclusively for men. Make a change with a new look to score some new lovely ladies. Whether you want highlights, tips, or all over color, we put you in the driver’s seat and give you full control.

And it’s quick and easy, so it won’t take much time away from those things that you really enjoy like all those new Xbox and PS2 games.

We’ve also got some of the best Maxim “how to” tips we’ll make sure you get into clubs, get the girl, and get out of the speeding ticket all with your hot new look.

It’s on sale now - so get ahead of the curve and go directly to the men’s grooming section of your favorite drug stores, food and mass Merchandiser stores. Buy now, you won’t be disappointed!

I Want Media has posted a very interesting interview with Stephen Colvin, the 38-year-old CEO of Dennis Publishing, publisher of Maxim, The Week and others. So scratch that last post of mine: It’s not that magazines are illiterate, it’s that they’re contrived:

Quote:

“There are too many magazines, and that makes people think the industry is a mess. But there are a lot of magazines in very good health. Obviously, newsstand is difficult because of the low sell-throughs that most magazines experience. There is too much reliance on advertising revenue, which means that publishers quite naturally are very concerned about delivering the product the advertisers want. But overall, the business is pretty healthy with a lot of publishers making good money from core titles. We just need less contrived magazines.”

Non-profit Harper’s magazine’s editor Lewis Lapham chain smokes Parliament Lights and whines about the state of magazines in today’s SF Chronicle.

Quote:

“With the experience I had as a judge of the National Magazine Awards, you’d think a lot of these magazines are post-literate,” he said. “It is troubling.”

Lapham also laments that half the students in a writing course he taught at a Yale were, “by my definition, illiterate.” I wonder if they could read the warning label on the side of Parliament Lights.

Speaking of pride, I’m proud of the talent and dedication of the Hammock Publishing team that redesigned the company’s website. Thanks to Stasia and Jackie and everyone on whom they cracked the whip.

It’s good to be living in Nashville where someone like Ellen Lehman can devote her considerable vision and talents into creating and nuturing the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. And where a very generous family can use that foundation as a means to benefit the area and its residents for generations to come.

Quote by Ellen in this morning’s Tennessean:

”Some of our current and future donors are people like the Ingrams, who are blessed with great wealth and great hearts and some only with great hearts. One of the ancillary benefits will be that the Community Foundation will be able to meet its mission of allowing everyone to be a philanthropic hero.”

Ellen is one of my heroes.