Monday, April 27, 2009

Another Magazine Death Close To Home

Reading Gawker's Great Magazine Die-Off and Web sites like The Magazine Death Pool always make me sad. I hate watching the industry continue to fall apart.

Some magazine foldings hurt a little more than others. The first magazine fold that really affected me was JANE magazine. It had always been one of my favorites, and I happened to be interning there when it folded. So I experienced my first magazine folding at my first national magazine internship. It was really tough to pack up the office and watch my editors become unemployed.


It was even sadder watching it again while watching Fashionista Diaries. (I'm on three episodes, by the way. Although you'd never know because it's just my arm or the back of my head or my face is blurred out.) Although I'm glad I kept in touch with my editors, and they've all landed on their feet in great if not better positions.

Today another magazine I interned at folded: Conde Nast Portfolio.
Of course I'm not interning there now. In fact, I interned there directly after JANE magazine. I technically interned for the Web site because the magazine had not really begun its monthly publication. I never really imagined myself at such a magazine, but I really enjoyed my time there and met great editors. (Luckily, most of them had already moved on from the magazine before today.)

Nevertheless it still saddens me to see it fold. I also feel bad because it was one of the biggest magazine launches in recent years. (It launched in 2007.) There's definitely a lot of talk going on about it. You can read about it here (on their site) and here (from a former employee) and here.

I hope I don't see any of the other magazines I've interned at face the same fate. Something tells me they won't, but either way, I'm starting to get a little scared. Anyone else seen any magazine folds that hurt a little more than others? I hope not!

No comments: