Publisher Briefs

Women's Health's October Issue Features First Celebrity Cover    

The October issue of Rodale’s Women’s Health will feature its first celebrity cover. The subject is Elizabeth Banks. Banks is currently starring in “W,” Oliver Stone’s biopic about President George W. Bush, and was previously featured in “Seabiscuit” and “Spiderman 3.” 

The introduction of celebrity covers is part of a series of design and editorial enhancements aimed at expanding the magazine’s global brand platform, according to Rodale senior VP David Zinczenko, who became editorial director for WH, in addition to editor of Men’s Health, in June. (WH is also seeking a replacement for Tina Johnson, editor-in-chief of the magazine since its launch in 2005, who left at the end of August.)

WH, which launched with a circulation rate base of 400,000, has announced that it will raise rate base to 1.35 million as of its January/February 2009 issue. Its ABC-reported single-copy sales for first-half 2008 averaged 306,864, up 11.5% versus first-half 2008.

Obama Book Zips to #5 on Trade Paperback List; Palin Bio Gets 250K Paperback Run

The trade paperback editon of Democratic presidential nominee Barak Obama’s The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, jumped from 13th to 5th position on Publishers Weekly’s trade paperback bestsellers’ list for the week of September 8th. The book has been on the list for 28 weeks. It was originally published in trade paperback last November, and in hardcover in October 2006. The trade edition, from Three Rivers Press, part of Random House’s Crown Publishing Group, is priced at $14.95. The paperback edition ($9.99, Vintage), published in July, is #5 on the Globe and Mail Non-Fiction in Paper bestseller list.

Meanwhile, indie publisher Epicenter Press has signed an exclusive distribution deal with religious publisher Tyndale House on a bio of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin, Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned the Political Establishment Upside Down, according to Publishers Weekly. Epicenter has shipped about 60,000 copies of the paperback edition of the book since Palin was chosen as the nominee. Tyndale has now printed 250,000 copies, which began shipping this week. Epicenter will also be handling special sales of the book’s hardcover edition, which sold about 10,000 copies when it first came out in April, PW reports.  

Redesigns for Consumer Reports and Vegetarian Times

Consumer Reports and Vegetarian Times both have new looks and editorial offerings.

CR’s redesign, created by Luke Hayman of Pentagram Design (whose work also includes The Atlantic’s recent redesign), debuted with its October issue, on newsstands September 2nd. It features a new logo and color palette, more photography, reorganized editorial sections, an updated ratings section with new “Best Buys” and “Recommended Products” logos, a new section on "big-ticket" products and a new Q+A section.

CR reportedly now averages about 190,000 single-copy sales per issue (up from 83,850 in 2002), and skews toward an audience of men in their 50’s, but hopes to draw more women and younger readers with the revamped design/content.

Vegetarian Times debuted its redesign with its September issue. The 30-year-old magazine has a cleaner, more modern look, a new logo and tagline (“Eat Green, Live Well”), more how-to information, new editorial departments, expanded coverage of the health benefits of vegetarian food, clearer/easier-to-read recipes, and more location photography. 

VT’s average single-copy sales for first-half 2008 were 38,100, up 30% compared to first-half 2007.

Hoffman Media Specials to Launch in Spring '09

Hoffman Media, Inc., publishers of Cooking with Paula Deen, will launch Hoffman Media Specials, a quarterly, starting with an issue in Spring 2009. The special, which will go on sale March 17th and retail for $7.99 ($8.99 in Canada), will offer recipes, menus, cooking tips, tablescape ideas and gift ideas for special events, celebrations and holidays. The new title will be distributed by Curtis Circulaton Company.