It’s amazingly ironic that I JUST saw Magic in the parking lot of Ralph’s grocery store early one Sat morning. I was actually going to talk to him about an idea I have for a NICHE magazine but I thought about it too long and the window of opportunity came and left. I DESPISE users and I never want to be viewed as one so it’s often hard for me to pitch my great ideas and I need to work on that. At any rate, I had no idea he was interested in the publishing game until a story circulated the web this weekend that he is interested in buying Ebony, Jet and Johnson Publications. The one sure thing is, he doesn’t have to change the name of the corporation the OTHER sure thing is in this case, it’s a bad idea. Sure Magic’s name can certainly bring new life and possible advertisers to the publication initially but can he breathe new life into a magazine that’s been dated since 1980. Ebony and Jet made the biggest mistakes when both publications did not allow younger ideas and concepts to fill the pages instead of keeping the same format for 60 years. I SERIOUSLY think Magic would be beating a dead horse and will incorporate the misfortune and dated image the magazine has been struggling with for decades. Newsstand magazines are pretty much dead and newspapers are not far behind UNLESS they are niche magazines. If I were him, I’d start from scratch and introduce my own magazine. After all, his name is already a brand. He would spend more money and time trying to update Ebony and Jet’s image then he would to simply to start his own thing.
You make valid points, but I disagree. If he integrates the ‘Net, it could be successful. The name equity puts him AHEAD of the curve, not behind. There are many African Americans in the South and East that could sustain it with his new energy.
John Johnson had a firm grip on it……his way or the high way….The challenge is not to turn it too contemporary…It still need s to stay the size.