Categories: OLD Media Moves

Business magazines getting smart

Myrna Blyth of the New York Sun examined two new business magazines — American and Dealmaker — to see what set them apart from others in the category in an article published Wednesday.

Blyth wrote, “To focus on that limited but special audience, the American has printed just over 50,000 copies. Half of the circulation is paid, half controlled, with some copies available at airports and at newsstands.

“At Dealmaker, Mr. Lane is aiming at a larger circulation of 100,000. He is also editor in chief of Trader Magazine, which has a circulation of 100,000 in America and 50,000 abroad. It features a mix of news, gossip, advice, and information, such as where to buy the ‘best toys and gear to help you lead the good life.’ It has proven popular with Wall Street stock and bond traders, as well as the advertisers who want to reach this affluent audience.

“Dealmaker has much the same format, but it is targeted at a different audience with a different financial mind set. ‘Traders are impulsive. Dealmakers, the guys who buy and sell, not stocks and bonds but whole companies, are more analytical. They are always looking for long-term value,’ Mr. Lane said. ‘They are just incredibly smart guys.’

“The first issue of Dealmaker includes a feature on ‘The 30 Top Rainmakers,’ an interview with Wall Street icon Sandy Weil, and a description of ‘The Deal From Hell.’ It also doesn’t stint on giving tips for achieving the good life. There is a one-pager highlighting a $10,000 Valextra Avietta briefcase and a fashion spread that includes a $6,730 Brioni suit. In its way, it is Fortune for the most fortunate.

“The American, by contrast, is short on service journalism and long on provocative ideas. The lead story in its premiere issue asks, ‘Why do we underpay our best CEOs?’ It’s a rarely asked question these days, while another separates the facts and myths about global warming in a way that would not please Al Gore. A third, written by Dr. Sally Satel, an AEI Fellow and a kidney transplant recipient, argues for a market in organ donations.”