VIBE, the black Rolling Stone magazine, folds after 16 years

I still remember the first time I got a byline in VIBE; a forgettable, four-paragraph piece about super-talented character actor Steve Harris, who was playing chrome-domed lawyer Eugene Young on ABC's The Practice.

Didn't matter how small the gig was, though. It allowed me to put VIBE magazine on my resume, and that's all I cared about.

VIBE was the Rolling Stone magazine for black music and black culture, featuring hip-hop-inspired columnists with patter so thick it was sometimes hard to read, and insight into the oddball ways of black artists who were less likely to get attention from mainstream music mags.

But all that is about to vanish. VIBE is shutting down, according to numerous reports on Gawker, AOL's Daily Finance blog and among journalists who should know. The closing places VIBE on a long and depressing list of magazines which have gone away this year, including Radio & Records and Blender. (cofounder Quincy Jones has said he wants to buy the magazine back, but it's unclear whether that's just idle talk)

Paid Content has a list of all the magazine which have folded this year, and the list includes:

Alpha Media Group: Blender—March (Online only);

Hearst: CosmoGirl—December-January (Online only);
Hallmark Cards: Hallmark Magazine—February-March (Shuttered)—Up 11 percent
Condé Nast: Portfolio—May (Online only)
Hearst: Oprah At Home—January (Shuttered)
Ziff Davis: PC Magazine—January (Online only)

Billboard: Radio & Records—June (Shuttered)
American Express: Travel + Leisure Golf—March-April (Website still live, but inactive)
Wicks Media Group: Vibe—June (Possibly online only—stay tuned)

Such a fate didn't seem possible back in 1993 when Jones founded the magazine, stirring up controversy when it was revealed that editor Jonathan Van Meter was a white guy. Eventually, VIBE's brand expanded to include a 1997 talk show and an annual awards ceremony. Check the magazine's history here.

But recent money troubles led to a sale in 2006 and more recently, cut salaries and shortened work weeks for staffers.

As the magazine prepares to officially announce its status later today, the only question left is how many great pop culture magazines will vanish before this awful media recession ends?  

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Comments

[Eric Deggans]

I don't see local TV statons covering media very much at all, unless there are massive layoffs somewhere or momentous news at hand.

I do a lot of critiquing of radio, newspaper and TV outlets that are not reciprocated on other outlets.

So I repeat my first point: you're taking this all too seriously, dude.

[Mark]

I get that it's all in jest, but to me it's a glass house deal.

You don't see the local TV news operations holding up the St. Pete Times Jay Leno-style and saying "hey, look at the spelling mistakes in the Times today!"

[Eric Deggans]

Mark, you really need to relax my friend. The graphics posted are a nod to a fan and a little gentle ribbing for local TV stations.

i have joked many times with Tv folks about misspelling in graphics, so it's no news flash to anyone who has worked in the biz.

[Mark]

I can readily admit I'm nit-picking.

Now will you do the same after publishing those pictures of typos on TV graphics?

[Eric Deggans]

I chose this cover because it is the issue out on stands now -- one that I bought just after hearing the mag was folding.

And yes, you are nitpicking.

[Mark]

I just caught this and yes, I'm nit-picking, but of all the VIBE magazine covers to pick for this article, you choose the one with Eminem? Wouldn't have one with a black musician been better?

[Wenalway]

I've always been very skeptical of music critics. There's little to no reason to assume they have any qualifications or much cred.

[Eric Deggans]

thanks so much Wade.

I loved writing for the MusicHoud books -- i contributed most to the rock and R&B editions. But i must admit i had forgotten i wrote the MJ entry until you just mentioned it.

I learned how to write about pop culture by reading magazines like rolling Stone, Musician and Spin in gih school and college. I hope this recession doesn't claim too many more of them...

[Wade Tatangelo]

Sad to hear about Vibe. I recall how happy I was when I received a byline in No Depression, my favorite mag at the time, for an 1,000-word obit on blues bad a-- R.L. Burnside. When ND folded I couldn't help but feel crushed even though I had since had somewhat of a falling out with its publishers/editors.

As a rather young man of 31 who has been a professional music critic — to some degree or another — for the past decade, these are strange and troubling times. I enjoy reading serious music criticism as much as I enjoy (trying) to write it. And the only place that it's usually found is in publications, mostly print, that fairly compensate writers.

BTW, when MJ died I flipped through an old music encyclopedia called Music Hound. One of many such books I bought as a young, aspiring music critic that's still on my shelf. Anyway, the entry was written by Eric Deggans. Excellent piece, Eric. It holds up quite well.

[Wenalway]

The magazine was black? How could you read the type?

[bulletinizer]

I'm with ya' baby... I was lookin' for a job when I found this one.

[Eric Deggans]

you know the old saying about assumptions, my friend...

First, the VIBE clip was someting like nine years ago.

Secondly, you don't just use a resume to get a new job. Sometimes you use it to get another job, like when I was an adjunct prof at Eckerd college.

Third, I've always kept a current resume throughout my career. Like the Boy Scouts say, you gotta be prepared for any opportunity....

[bulletinizer]

Eric, you have VIBE Magazine on your resume? Shall we read between the lines on your future at the SP Times.

[Philip]

One other great music publication that went out of business in the last year - No Depression, the bible for Americana/altcountry/roots rock/twang + more related styles.

IMO, ND was home to the best music journalism out there, period. The mag is still trying to get something together online, but they're no longer paying for professionally written content.

[Philip]

Eric:

This is very sad, bad news for music listeners and music journalists alike, not to mention the artists and music-industry folks who benefit from nationwide coverage provided by a professionally written and edited publication.

And it comes right on the heels of the announcement that Jazz Times, the biggest-circulation jazz mag, is temporarily (read: probably permanently) ceasing publication in print. No word as to whether there are plans to keep it alive as an online entity.

People keep telling me, "you can get the same type of content online." No, you can't.