Quote:
Originally Posted by Blacksocialite
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?  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.  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  |
I completely see and understand your point. But I work in "the business" and from an editorial standpoint, I also completely understand the decisions they are making.
Like it or not, Keyshia Cole (or however she spells it) is going to sell covers. Princess Angela won't, plain and simple. For that matter, Cathy Hughes on the cover won't sell either. It's no different than the reasons why (white) actresses are now routinely on the covers of high fashion mags like Vogue, etc., when a decade ago it was (white) "supermodels." Bottom line? Jennifer Anniston/Jessica Simpson/Angelina Jolie, etc. sells, and the models don't. Our mags are no different.
Journalism is not a science but it is tactile -- there are editorial decisions that are made that a segment of the audience will disagree with, but that the target demographic will love -- and purchase. That's really all they care about.
Regarding the 2nd Kim Porter story -- considering the turn of events (Diddy having yet another kid out of wedlock), and the prominent play that the first story got -- Essence had to do another story. And, appropriately, it was in the back of the magazine. It really was no different than a follow-up story in a newspaper. Sort of a "what do you think of this and how are you moving on?" story and Kim spoke her peace and now, I guarantee you, Essence is done with it.
Maybe it's "inside baseball," but from an editorial and fiscal standpoint, those were good decisions. Now, do I wish Essence (and Ebony, for that matter) would do better overall? YES. But that would require them to go the way of, say, Ms. magazine and stop trolling for advertising dollars altogether -- and are we prepared to pay $6 for what we claim we really want to read? That's another story altogether...
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