Dotdash (formerly known as About.com), the company who bought the publisher Meredith, has decided to take 6 magazines out of print circulation, and focus them as a digital brand only. Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, Health, EatingWell, Parents, and People en Español will no longer be on the printed page, and 200 employees who make the print production possible will be laid off, as reported by Hollywood Reporter.
According to a statement from DotDash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel to staff published by Hollywood Reporter: “We have said from the beginning, buying Meredith was about buying brands, not magazines or websites. It is not news to anyone that there has been a pronounced shift in readership and advertising from print to digital, and as a result, for a few important brands, print is no longer serving the brand’s core purpose. As such, we are going to move to a digital-only future for these brands, which will help us to unlock their full potential.”
It seems Vogel doesn’t understand, or undervalues, the relationship a person has with their medium of choice when consuming content. Be it a printed page or screen. With screen-times frequently blamed for people’s insomnia, blurred vision, or heightened distraction, he sees promise in their light. For parents in doctors offices who choose to read a magazine instead of their phone when with their children in the waiting room, where often there are signs posted saying “Please don’t use your cell phones,” reading just got a little bit harder.
Vogel continued in his statement: “As such, we are going to move to a digital-only future for these brands, which will help us to unlock their full potential. These brands are among our most successful, important, and fastest growing digital properties – the online audience for Parents, InStyle, and EatingWell are each up over 40% year-over-year – and all of these brands have a bright future.”
The CEO insisted the cut is not related to saving or bleeding money. “Today’s step is not a cost savings exercise and it is not about capturing synergies or any other acquisition jargon, it is about embracing the inevitable digital future for the affected brands.”
He described improvements to print runs of their existing paper magazines: “Print remains core to Dotdash Meredith. From PEOPLE to BHG to Southern Living to WOOD, and all our other beloved print publications, we continue to provide incredible value to readers in print, and we will proudly print over 350 million magazines in 2022. Beginning today, we will be investing in our print-forward brands and products: everything from enhancing paper quality and trim sizes, to ensuring world-class editorial and beautiful photography.”
What Does This Mean For Businesses, Artists & Activists Seeking PR In Print?
Hang in there, dear creator. Digital publishing will remain fast with high turnover of articles. The long-lead time of 3-6 months might get trimmed to 1-3 months. Writers will continue to write for several publications at once. When you pitch a writer, keep in mind that your story angle for that pitch may be used for another time in another publication, as reporters constantly look for story ideas and businesses, artists and activists to fill out those stories with examples.
The Editorial Calendars for the print edition will of course not be produced. Tin Shingle has made note of that in our Editorial Calendar Collection Database, for those searching for these titles and not seeing them. Keeping a list of the best fits of writers for your genre remains a great way to increase your chances for sending a really well-crafted pitch to the right person. Use Tin Shingle’s exclusive PR Planner & Tracker to make note of who these writers are so that you can write pitches to them.
Not sure on what to say in an email pitch? Join Tin Shingle and participate in our private Pitch Whisperer Group (via Google Group and in TuneUp Office Hours webinar calls) to have like minds review your pitch or give feedback on direction before you send.
You can do it!