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| total_circulation = 150,000
| total_circulation = 150,000
| circulation_year = 2002
| circulation_year = 2002
| based = [[New York City]]
}}
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'''''Book Magazine''''' was an American [[bi-monthly]] popular [[literary magazine]] founded in 1998 by Mark Gleason and Jerome Kramer and published by West Egg Communications. Described by its editor as "the ''[[Rolling Stone]]''—not the ''[[Billboard]]''—of the book industry", ''MediaBistro.com'' said it was "also the ''[[Us Weekly]]'' of the industry, offering up juicy tidbits of what passes for gossip in this relatively respectable trade", noting for prospective writers that it was aimed at "enthusiastic leisure readers".<ref name=three/> The ''[[New York Times]]'' said ''Book'' "profiles authors and their works in much the way that [[People (magazine)|People magazine]] reports on celebrities".<ref name=close/>
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'''Book Magazine''' was an American bi-monthly literary-oriented entertainment and popular culture magazine that was founded in 1998 by Mark Gleason and Jerome Kramer and published by West Egg Communications. In November 2000, bookseller [[Barnes & Noble]] invested slightly more than $4.2 million for a 50 percent share in the company,<ref name=one>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/business/media-barnes-noble-and-book-magazine-try-a-new-tack.html |title=MEDIA; Barnes & Noble and Book Magazine Try a New Tack |last=Goldstein |first=Bill |date=March 17, 2003 |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate= May 11, 2011}}</ref> after which the magazine operated as a partnership. Thirty-one issues were published through the end of 2003, when the magazine ceased operations.<ref name=two>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/your-opinion-or-your-lifeclosed-bookolympian-taskkups-game/Content?oid=913791 |title=Your Opinion or Your Life!/Closed Book/Olympian Task/Kup's Game |last=Miner |first=Michael |work=[[Chicago Reader]] |date=November 13, 2003 |accessdate=May 11, 2011 }}</ref> During the entire run, Gleason served as Book's publisher and president and Kramer as its editor-in-chief.<ref name=three>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/content/archives/02/09/19/ |title=How To Pitch: Book Magazine |last=Beland |first=Nicole |date=September 19, 2002 |work=[[Media Bistro]] |accessdate=May 11, 2001}}</ref>


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In November 2000, bookseller [[Barnes & Noble]] purchased a 50-percent share of the company for $4.2 million,<ref name=one>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/business/media-barnes-noble-and-book-magazine-try-a-new-tack.html |title=MEDIA; Barnes & Noble and Book Magazine Try a New Tack |last=Goldstein |first=Bill |date=March 17, 2003 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate= May 11, 2011 | location = New York | publisher = The New York Times Company }}</ref> after which the magazine operated as a partnership. Thirty-one issues were published through the end of 2003, when the magazine ceased operations after Barnes & Noble stopped its funding following several years of losses.<ref name=two>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/your-opinion-or-your-lifeclosed-bookolympian-taskkups-game/Content?oid=913791 |title=Your Opinion or Your Life!/Closed Book/Olympian Task/Kup's Game | at = Closed Book |last=Miner |first=Michael |work=[[Chicago Reader]] |date=November 13, 2003 |accessdate=May 11, 2011 | location = Chicago | publisher = CL Chicago }}</ref> During the entire run, Gleason served as ''Book'''s publisher and president and Kramer as its editor-in-chief.<ref name=three>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/content/archives/02/09/19/ |title=How To Pitch: Book Magazine |last=Beland |first=Nicole |date=September 19, 2002 |work=[[Media Bistro]] |accessdate=May 11, 2001}}</ref>
==Founding and Description==
Editorial and production offices were originally in Chicago, with business operations running out of Summit, NJ; in 2000, the magazine relocated to Manhattan, after Book forged a strategic partnership with bookseller Barnes & Noble. This partnership established it as a pioneer in the development of partnership circulation programs, and led Book toward a paid circulation in excess of 1 million at the height of the partnership.<ref>http://www.whatsnext.com/content/who-we-are/</ref> However, by March, 2003, Book and Barnes & Noble had restructured the partnership to cut costs and integrate the magazine more closely with the chain, according to ''[[The New York Times]]''. At that time, the rate base was reduced to 150,000 from 750,000.<ref name=one /> By the end of 2003, according to an article by Micheal Miner in ''[[The Chicago Reader]]'', Kramer and Gleason met with Barnes & Noble's chairman of the board and the chief financial officer and agreed to end the venture.<ref name=two />


==History==
During its heyday, Kramer described the magazine to [[MediaBistro]] as "the ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]''--not the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''--of the book industry," saying that most of the magazine's readers are "well-educated, affluent people over the age of 30 who consider books to be an important part of their lives." <ref name=three /> Senior editor Adam Langer said, "We don't print features about writers simply because they write....They have to be interesting, dynamic people who are as engaging as their work.".<ref name=three /> Book offered features (such as "[[Anita Shreve]]'s Secret Passions" and "Hype! Hype! Hype! Wild Publicity Stunts" <ref name=one />) news and reviews about books, authors, literacy and aspects of entertainment, politics and popular culture that connected with those areas. Cover subjects included [[Tom Wolfe]], [[T.C. Boyle]], [[Frank McCourt]], [[Nicole Kidman]], [[J.K. Rowling]], [[Ethan Hawke]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writerdetails.asp?vcqty=77777777&cid=209602 |title=Meet The Writer: Ethan Hawke |date=July 2002 |last=Kramer |first=Jerome |[[Barnes & Noble]] |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref> [[Sebastian Junger]] and [[Toni Morrison]]. Book frequently featured "Best" features, such as "The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900," which ran in the March/April 2002 issue and named [[Jay Gatsby]], from [[F. Scott Fitzgerald]]'s "[[The Great Gatsby]]", as the No. 1 character.;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2002/mar/020319.characters.html |title=100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 |date=March 2002 |work=[[NPR]] |publisher=Book Magazine |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref> and "20 Books That Changed America,”,<ref>“20 Books That Changed America,” Book, July—August, 2003, 58—61.</ref> which ran in July/August 2003.
''Book'''s editorial and production offices were originally in [[Chicago]], with business operations running out of [[Summit, New Jersey]]. Before Barnes & Noble stepped in, ''Book'' lost $700,000 in its first two years of operation.<ref name=one/>

In 2000, the magazine relocated to [[Manhattan]] after Barnes & Noble's investment. Initially, Barnes & Noble gave a free one-year ''Book'' subscription to new members of their "Reader's Advantage" [[loyalty program]].<ref name=two/> This added about 1.3 million readers to the magazine's original circulation of 100,000, although the magazine promised its advertisers a "base rate" of 700,000.<ref name=close>{{cite news | title = Book Magazine Will Be Closed | last = Steinberg | first = Jacques | date = October 22, 2003 | newspaper = The New York Times | location = New York | publisher = The New York Times Company | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/22/business/book-magazine-will-be-closed.html | accessdate = July 18, 2011 }}</ref> Kramer said "when it came down to converting those people over [to paying subscribers] we ran into a concrete wall."<ref name=two/> Readers who were receiving the magazine for free through Barnes & Noble refused to pay for subscriptions.<ref name=two/> Only five percent of readers renewed their subscriptions.<ref name=one/> In March 2002, the bookstore chain ended the promotion, and the magazine's circulation fell to 150,000.<ref name=close/>

Between 2001 and 2002, advertising income at the magazine tripled to $1.5 million.<ref name=one/> However, by early 2003, the production costs of the magazine overwhelmed the revenues, forcing ''Book'' and Barnes & Noble to restructure the partnership:<ref name=one/> Barnes and Noble gave ''Book'' a $2.5 million loan in 2001,<ref name=close/> and in 2002 the magazine lost about $1 million.<ref name=two/> The magazine's name was changed to ''Barnes & Noble Presents Book'' with the May/June 2003 issue, and the store displayed the magazine more prominently.<ref name=one/> The "base rate" for advertisers was cut to 150,000.<ref name=one/>

In mid-October 2003, the bookseller's senior leadership met with Kramer and Gleason and told them that the company was not going to provide any further funding.<ref name=two/> "They'd made the decision that they were not magazine publishers", said Kramer.<ref name=two/>

Along with book reviews and author interviews, ''Book'' offered features such as "[[Anita Shreve]]'s Secret Passions" and "Hype! Hype! Hype! Wild Publicity Stunts".<ref name=one /> Front covers of the magazine's issues featured [[Tom Wolfe]], [[T.C. Boyle]], [[Frank McCourt]], [[Nicole Kidman]], [[J.K. Rowling]], [[Ethan Hawke]], [[Sebastian Junger]], and [[Toni Morrison]]. ''Book'' frequently featured "Best" features, such as "The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900", which ran in the March/April 2002 issue,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2002/mar/020319.characters.html |title=100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 | author = ''Book'' Magazine, March/April 2002 |date=March 2002 |work=Talk of the Nation |publisher=[[NPR]] |accessdate=May 11, 2011}}</ref> and "20 Books That Changed America”, which ran in July/August 2003.<ref>{{Cite journal | title = 20 Books That Changed America | journal = Barnes & Noble Presents Book | month = July/August | year = 2003 | pages= 58—61 | publisher = Barnes & Noble }}</ref>


==Cover subjects==
==Cover subjects==
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==References==
==References==
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{{Reflist|2}}
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically -->
⚫
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bn.com]


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Revision as of 02:09, 19 July 2011

Book Magazine
Editor-in-ChiefJerome Kramer
FrequencyBi-Monthly
PublisherMark Gleason
Total circulation
(2002)		150,000
First issueOctober/November 1998
Final issueNovember/December 2003
CompanyWest Egg Communications
CountryUnited States
Based inNew York City
LanguageEnglish

Book Magazine was an American bi-monthly popular literary magazine founded in 1998 by Mark Gleason and Jerome Kramer and published by West Egg Communications. Described by its editor as "the Rolling Stone—not the Billboard—of the book industry", MediaBistro.com said it was "also the Us Weekly of the industry, offering up juicy tidbits of what passes for gossip in this relatively respectable trade", noting for prospective writers that it was aimed at "enthusiastic leisure readers".[1] The New York Times said Book "profiles authors and their works in much the way that People magazine reports on celebrities".[2]

In November 2000, bookseller Barnes & Noble purchased a 50-percent share of the company for $4.2 million,[3] after which the magazine operated as a partnership. Thirty-one issues were published through the end of 2003, when the magazine ceased operations after Barnes & Noble stopped its funding following several years of losses.[4] During the entire run, Gleason served as Book's publisher and president and Kramer as its editor-in-chief.[1]

History

Book's editorial and production offices were originally in Chicago, with business operations running out of Summit, New Jersey. Before Barnes & Noble stepped in, Book lost $700,000 in its first two years of operation.[3]

In 2000, the magazine relocated to Manhattan after Barnes & Noble's investment. Initially, Barnes & Noble gave a free one-year Book subscription to new members of their "Reader's Advantage" loyalty program.[4] This added about 1.3 million readers to the magazine's original circulation of 100,000, although the magazine promised its advertisers a "base rate" of 700,000.[2] Kramer said "when it came down to converting those people over [to paying subscribers] we ran into a concrete wall."[4] Readers who were receiving the magazine for free through Barnes & Noble refused to pay for subscriptions.[4] Only five percent of readers renewed their subscriptions.[3] In March 2002, the bookstore chain ended the promotion, and the magazine's circulation fell to 150,000.[2]

Between 2001 and 2002, advertising income at the magazine tripled to $1.5 million.[3] However, by early 2003, the production costs of the magazine overwhelmed the revenues, forcing Book and Barnes & Noble to restructure the partnership:[3] Barnes and Noble gave Book a $2.5 million loan in 2001,[2] and in 2002 the magazine lost about $1 million.[4] The magazine's name was changed to Barnes & Noble Presents Book with the May/June 2003 issue, and the store displayed the magazine more prominently.[3] The "base rate" for advertisers was cut to 150,000.[3]

In mid-October 2003, the bookseller's senior leadership met with Kramer and Gleason and told them that the company was not going to provide any further funding.[4] "They'd made the decision that they were not magazine publishers", said Kramer.[4]

Along with book reviews and author interviews, Book offered features such as "Anita Shreve's Secret Passions" and "Hype! Hype! Hype! Wild Publicity Stunts".[3] Front covers of the magazine's issues featured Tom Wolfe, T.C. Boyle, Frank McCourt, Nicole Kidman, J.K. Rowling, Ethan Hawke, Sebastian Junger, and Toni Morrison. Book frequently featured "Best" features, such as "The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900", which ran in the March/April 2002 issue,[5] and "20 Books That Changed America”, which ran in July/August 2003.[6]

Cover subjects

References

  1. ^ a b Beland, Nicole (September 19, 2002). "How To Pitch: Book Magazine". Media Bistro. Retrieved May 11, 2001.
  2. ^ a b c d Steinberg, Jacques (October 22, 2003). "Book Magazine Will Be Closed". The New York Times. New York: The New York Times Company. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Goldstein, Bill (March 17, 2003). "MEDIA; Barnes & Noble and Book Magazine Try a New Tack". The New York Times. New York: The New York Times Company. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Miner, Michael (November 13, 2003). "Your Opinion or Your Life!/Closed Book/Olympian Task/Kup's Game". Chicago Reader. Chicago: CL Chicago. Closed Book. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  5. ^ Book Magazine, March/April 2002 (March 2002). "100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900". Talk of the Nation. NPR. Retrieved May 11, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "20 Books That Changed America". Barnes & Noble Presents Book. Barnes & Noble: 58–61. 2003. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
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