A U.S. Court of Appeals decision today opens the way for market cross-ownership of broadcast and cable properties and networks’ right to own more local stations.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations, ABC, reported recently that newstand sales of magazines, especially the newsweeklies, shot up during the second half of 2001. Time and Newsweek were both up 80% after September 11, but the increase cut across most categories. Interesting insight into where people still turn for understanding in times of crisis.

Quote:

Newsweek chairman Smith said newsstand sales helped offset some of the advertising decline, but not all. “We sell the magazine $3.95 at a time, and it takes a lot of those to offset the disappearance of a single page of advertising,” which goes for about $100,000, he said.

Here’s another article with a run-down on the surprising circulation performance of other magazines.

San Jose Mercury News Peter Delevett writes, “The stock market is schizophrenic, tech investors are paralyzed and the publishing business is in its worst shape in years. Sounds like a great time to start a tech magazine, huh?”

Well, these guys think so.

And, as reported yesterday, so do these guys.

The Wall Street Journal carries a gossipy feature story on rumors related to a coming changing of the guard at People Magazine.

Quote:

People is the most profitable magazine in the U.S., and contributes more than a third of all Time Inc.’s earnings, executives there say. It carries enough clout on the newsstand to support many of the publisher’s other titles. Arranging a succession to Ms. Wallace, who has been at her post for five years, would be “enormously problematic,” says Peter Herbst, editor in chief of Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.’s Premiere magazine. Mr. Herbst, who worked at People in the mid-1990s, adds that the title “is bigger than most magazine companies.”

Since this seems to be Time Inc. magazine history day, I’ll throw in a mention of the most legendary magazine person I’ve ever had the opportunity to hear describe over dinner how he was beaten up covering a news story in my home state.

Richard Stolley, the founding editor of People, would be on a magazine Mt. Rushmore if there was such. He’s famous for the quote about People Magazine covers, “Young is better than old. Pretty is better than ugly. Rich is better than poor. TV is better than music. Music is better than movies. Movies are better than sports. Anything is better than politics. (and, later added) Nothing is better than the celebrity dead.” He’s still active as a senior editorial advisor at Time Inc. and is still a voice to be heard.

30-years ago

In my quest to keep you on the cutting edge of magazine news, I’m happy to point you to the Daily News’ coverage of this year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. The issue, which hits newstands tomorrow, is busting at the seams with 110 pages of advertising, second only to the 25th anniversary swimsuit edition in 1989.

Magazine history extra:

Here’s an archive of SI swimsuit covers.

Quote:

Looking for an attention grabber for that winter lull between the Super Bowl and spring training, in 1964 Sports Illustrated hit on the idea of transporting readers to warmer climes. The rest is history: The annual Swimsuit Issue is by far the magazine’s biggest seller.

Note to SI fact checkers: While I don’t think folks are really reading the copy on this archive, for future reference, the Super Bowl did not start until 1967 (thus, Super Bowl XXXV this year).