HRH Princess Angela of Lichtenstein
 

Sorors, I had a melt down today when I received the new Essence Magazine.

I am proud to admit that I am 36 years old. But I gotta tell ya, I feel like Essence is no longer targeting women of my age. I believe they are going after a much younger demographic.

No disrepect to anyone who is a Keisha Coles fan but I'm puzzled as to why she's on the cover this month?:confused: Essence seems to be in partnership with the networks who do reality shows like VH1 and BET.

But the thing that really did me in was yet another story on the clucker - Kim Porter.:mad: I'm soooo tired of seeing story about her and Puffy.

Meanwhile, a 42 year old Sista from NYC married into one of the wealthest royal families in Europe seven years ago and Essence hasn't covered her?

I have pics of her, her husband, and their son on my blog but I have not been able to find any recent features or news on HRH Princess Angela!

SHOULDN'T ESSENCE COVER THIS STORY??!! Or is it me?

OK, I'm sleepy and going to bed...thanks for letting me rant:eek:

I have to agree with you.
I think more should've been done on her.
Once I did some research on her (your post piqued my interest) I thought it was very interesting.
It's almost like a version of "Coming to America".

I have for a while wondered who the demographic for some major black publications is.
I remember when she got married. Her full maiden name is the same as my aunt's. In fact, I think it was my aunt who pointed it out to me, for just that reason. :)

What a cute little boy!

I agree that Essence has changed since Susan stepped down as EIC.
I really dont want to see a story about how a woman lets herself get played like that and then tries to rationalize it. I dont really care about Kim Porter.

Keisha Cole is on this month's cover? :confused: Where is my Essence?!

Yes, Keisha Cole is on the cover yet Cathy Hughes (owner of Radio One) is buried somewhere in the middle to the back of the pub.

Do the editors think that mature sistas won't sell covers?

Two stories on Kim Porter is enough to make me throw in the towel. She sounds stupid and I know there are other sistas who are far more worthy of press than her - like HRH Princess Angela.

I might add another thread just to talk about Essence Magazine. I've been a subscriber on and off (literally) since I was 12. So, I take it really personal when I see them lean into some off the wall direction.

My Mom bought it for me because they're were NO magazines outside of Ebony and Jet that covered Black women in the 80s. She wanted me to be exposed to quality news about professional sistas.

Now, I don't know what Essence I trying to be. It seems like they are trying to blend the philosophies of Black Enterprise, People, OK, and Hype Hair into one magazine!:eek:

Thanks for the info, Blacksocialite. I would be very interested in learning more about HRH Princess Angela of Lichtenstein. Her son is such a cutie pie. I would have thought that there would have been more press in general. It's not eveyday that an American marries into such an old European royal house.

Sistergreek Blacksocialite: please go to the corner for saying Hype Hair...

bwhahahahaha

I totally agree! I have never heard of HRH Angela! I'm surprised (ok, not really) that this wasn't highly publicized here in the states.

No hate SistaGreekZeta on Hype Hair - I actually read it!:D

I like Keisha Cole (sp?), but I have to agree too. I've never heard of HRH Angela either. I'd like to learn more about what I don't know, not folks I see every day in videos and crap.

I do too, just wasn't expecting to see that title.. lol:p

Exactly! If I want to know what Keisha and Kim are up to, I can check out C&D and YBF.

I stand corrected about Princess Angela's title
 

A soror of mine just hit me on my blog and told me that Princess Angela's title is actually HSH not HRH as I have in my posting here.

I'll go back and change on my blog too.

I love your blog. Thanks for letting me know there is an update. But, er um, some of us younguns do not care to see Keisha Cole on the cover either. For what? Maybe it's because I am just not a fan.

I was about your age when I stopped subscribing to the Essence for that reason. My guess is it has always been the target market, we all sooner or later grow out of it.

I had thought that Essence's target was 30s. I'm nearly 43 now, and don't mind some entertainers on the cover (e.g. Jill Scott).

Thanks for the nice shout out about the blog! I'm glad to read that you enjoy it. You can subscribe to the blog for updates as well.

OK...back to Ms. Coles - I'm glad it's not me just getting old. I like her new haircut and think that she will look great on the cover of Hype Hair:p! (Smile SistaGreekNikki)

I like Mediatakeout.com for Black entertainment gossip and they do a pretty good job of provide scoop on celebs like her. So, I don't feel like I need to see them on the cover of Essence.

I mean, do we really need another installment of the 'clucker chronicles' by Kim Porter:confused:

This is probably true SistaGreek - but I think they're coverage is a bit confusing in terms of demographics as well.

I was watching a special about the Essence Music Festival over the summer and Susan Taylor was interviewed. She said that Essence's core demo is 25-34 which was surprising to hear.

Me, too. I let my subscription run out about 3 years ago, so that made me 36 when I let it go.

I haven't read that magazine since college, and even then it was iffy.

it IS better-written than Ebony or Jet though.

Thanks Soror Blacksocialite.

Here's a picture of her:

http://images-cdn01.associatedconten...0000027354.jpg

Sisterly,

Soror AKA_Monet

thats interesting, i thought it was older than that. and i remember a couple of years ago there was all this talk about having a magazine that spoke more to younger black woman. i guess a cross between essence and cosmo?

that was when Vibe Vixen came out... and we saw where that went. wasn't savoy and honey, among others, trying to do the same thing?

maybe essence is trying their hand at appealing to a younger demographic.

and just like some of you mentioned you've outgrown Essence, i havent really grown into it... so im stuck reading about how to buy a home, meet mr right at work, and finding the right pediatrician. which is great i guess... but i aint there yet.

There are coloring books better written than Ebony or Jet. :D

I wouldn't dispute that point.

When I get married, it will be to none less than a His Imperial Highness.

Though "Her Serene Highness" IS pretty hot.

I got my essence yesterday and enjoyed the article on Ms. Cole. I was sad about the article with Kim: it took you 10 YEARS to see he was PLAYING you?!

GREAT article about Barack Obama too.

And I did think Hype Hair when I saw the cover... lol....

Hey, hey leave Jet alone!

I have a subscription to it and you know what??

In spite of its flaws, it still the only magazine that provides both 'vanity press' and stories we would never hear in the mainstream media about Black folks. :D

And, they have NEVER been sued for libel to my knowledge and we all know they have printed some scandalous stuff about people - like Ronald Isley and Teddy Pendergrass.

nobody is trying to sue Jet like that... it'll cost them more money for the effort LOL

Does anyone remember a short-lived magazine called 'Honey'. It seemed its target age group was 18-25. I used to buy it, but I think it is no longer published. :(

I find it odd that I've never heard of HSH Princess Angela...I remember a ton of news stories about Queen Noor (married to the Late King of Jordan) back in the day.

Well not just her, remember when Marie-Chantal Miller married Prince Pavlos of Greece? That was in 1995. People magazine did a 10-page spread and it included not only a family picture (it had just about every royal in Europe) but a picture of her $20,000 cake which was based on thier china pattern.

Maybe we should write to Oprah.

that's what i thought, but the interweb wont give me anything on it.

^^^^^^ :p:o Don't know how I missed that in your post about Honey. I really did like that magazine. It was more about fashion and lifestyle and not very political. I think I may still have a few old copies of it at my mom's house.

I didn't know about HSH until I read your blog! Normally, I'm up on that sort of thing.

After growing up with Essence in the house, I realized that there were things I was interested in other than:

-finding/keeping a good Black man
-getting my money straight (I have a planner for that one, thanks!)
-losing weight

Don't get me started on Ebony, either. They have had the same five articles FOREVER:
-most eligible bachelors/bachelorettes
-some recipes for diabetics
-something about the Fashion Fair
-which GM or Ford car to buy this year
-and some entertainer

I just don't read that many magazines anymore.

Oh yeah...I forgot about this....interesting none the less.

lol
 

CLUCKER CHRONICLES...sista you said a mouth full. i officially ended my membership about 4 years ago. a friend gave me a year subscription as a gift soon thereafter. i have tried to look at the redeeming qualities of this magazine, but frankly, they recycle the same junk over and over again. to me, they are trying to be an upscale vibe--when vibe was a decent magazine. essence hasnt spoken to me in years. any articles worth the time are watered down. how many "how to get your man" type articles are we going to see? the beauty section leaves much to be desired. again, just recycled crap.

just a hot mess!

-hijack-

Black Socialite, do you know HSH? Umm, how about getting her to give a seminar on how to hook up with a PRINCE!!!! (or whatever he is to go titles after his name!)

- endhijack

Meeting a Prince
 

Hey there Jody,

I have not had the pleasure of meeting HSH Princess Angela of Liechenstein (I think I spelled this right):D.

Her husband is a Prince and here's a tip for meeting your own prince...you may already already know him!:p

Real "princes" may be tough to score and many of their marriages are pre-arranged - so look to some of your male friends that are "buddies" as possible partners.

I find many women (and I am as guilty as most) make good men our "friends" and then we chase after the knuckleheads.

It took me a lot of heartache and headaches to learn this lesson.

I use to get Honey and then all of a sudden I started getting a new magazine called Vibe Honey. I wonder if its the same thing?