No longer weekly

The liberal opinion journal The New Republic is about to undergo some changes.

The New Republic, the thinning left-leaning weekly magazine whose circulation has plunged in the era of the Web, is overhauling itself with a new configuration of owners, who are investing in a new look for the magazine and cutting back its publication schedule to every two weeks.

CanWest Global Communications, a Canadian media conglomerate that had been a minority shareholder in The New Republic, is now the majority owner. Martin Peretz, the editor-in-chief, is retaining his one-quarter interest.

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Starting March 19, the magazine will publish fortnightly and will double in size to about 80 pages from the current 40, Mr. Foer said. It will be printed on heavier paper stock, and will be redesigned to include more original photographs, cartoons and other graphic elements. “It’s hard to be less visual than we are now,” Mr. Foer said.

The New Republic’s circulation, which was about 101,000 in 2000, has slipped to slightly more than 60,000 now.

TFM has subscribed to TNR for most of the 27 years.(My subscription lapsed for a few years during the 90's) I also met TNR owner Martin Peretz once when he was campaigning for Albert Gore during the 1988 primary season.

The magazine is adapting in the age of the blog. If people want well written opinion pieces, they don't necessarily need a once a week magazine. Since finding blogs in 2004 I've begun to pay less attention to TNR and The National Review though I still subscribe to both.

I've always liked TNR. Its usual thoughtful brand of liberalism kept me reading the magazine even if I disagreed with it. Funny, but in 2004 the magazine endorsed John Kerry while Peretz had serious reservations. The magazine has had a few controversies through the years, Stephen Glass for one and here is the latest which earned a Knucklehead award for TNR.

I agree with James Joyner, the following bit is funny.

“There’s a massive vacuum in political journalism when it comes to magazines writing about politics, the culture of Washington and presidential politics,” he said.

Franklin Foer must not get out much. The Weekly Standard, The National Review and at least a half dozen other publications come to mind. I might say there is too much political journalism out there. Like the 2008 Presidential race getting attention as soon as the 2004 election was over. Too many pundits with too much time on their hands.

How TNR's changes will effect subscribers is still unknown. Will rates change? Neither the NY Times article or TNR's website provides any info. My subscription is coming up for renewal soon. I guess it won't be long before I find out.

Linked to- Basil, Bullwinkle, Right Wing Nation,