Scrapbook Update has received from a reliable source a copy of a statement by F+W Media president Sara Domville announcing that Memory Makers Magazine will cease publication after the magazine’s Sept/Oct 2009 issue. Domville indicates the economy and other factors are to blame:
The passion and dedication of the Memory Makers staff and contributors needs to be noted and commended, but in light of severe advertising cut backs, economic conditions, and lack of new consumers coming to the hobby, we cannot continue to publish the magazine on- or offline profitably. Unfortunately, this closure means the departure of several of our colleagues.
Please allow me to publicly thank Executive Editor Beth Williams, Managing Editor Katie Hilbert, and Advertising Representative Karen Crisp for their vision, enthusiasm, and tireless efforts on behalf of the magazine and the Company. Each has agreed to stay on through the transition expected to be complete by end of June. Please join me in wishing them well in their future endeavors.
The statement also notes that the magazine’s closure will not affect the operations of the company’s book publishing or Great American Scrapbook Convention operations.
The reference to the company considering an online version of the magazine is not a surprise to anyone who saw the survey that the magazine did earlier this spring (which was noted on Scrapbook Update) in which it questioned customers extensively about their willingness to pay for a digital version of the magazine.
The closure of Memory Makers is unfortunately not a shock to those who’ve been watching closely the state of the scrapbook magazines. As I wrote on Scrapbook Update a month ago in the same article that discussed Memory Makers’ digital survey:
Memory Makers is arguably in the weakest position of the “mass market” scrapbooking magazines at the moment. Their advertising content percentage has been the smallest of any of the surviving scrapbook magazines (Creating Keepsakes, PaperCrafts and Scrapbooks Etc.) in the past several issues. The 2008 USPS circulation statements showed them having the smallest circulation of the 4 mass-market magazines. They need some help, like many magazines across all areas of publishing.
Memory Makers’ last few issues have only contained between 15-19% paid ad content. The last (May/June) issue was boosted back to a healthy 40% by the inclusion of a large section advertising the company’s own book club, but obviously that is only a temporary measure and not a viable continuing operational model.
To compare, most of the scrapbook magazines in their healthier years contained about 40% paid ad content. Simple Scrapbooks and Digital Scrapbooking were shut down when their ad content had sunk to the neighborhood of 20%. So at 15%, Memory Makers has arguably been on life support for awhile.
Scrapbook Update will continue to do research on this story and report more information when it becomes available.
Related Stories:
- Scrapbook Magazine Circulation & CK Media
(Circulation statistic comparison) - Follow-up on CK Media’s Troubles (Analysis of magazines’ ad content)
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Really, really, really sad.
wow…
That is very sad.
B-
Sad news. Wonder how long Creating Keepsakes and Scrapbooks Etc. will be able to hang on?
wow – this is sad – it’s not a mag I read, however … I’m still sticking my bottom lip out about Simple closing it’s doors
This saddens me greatly! So I’m guessing this would probably change peoples decisions on entering MMM…..ya think!??
Wow Nancy! A shocker. Such a shame…It looks like the industry is in for a rough ride.
Big time bummer.
It’s so sad to see another blow to the industry!
I’ve read Memory Makers for years and am very sad at this news. Thank you, Nancy, for your excellent reporting as usual. You are a great resource for my blog.
i am completely crushed and saddened by this news!
I’m saddened, but not surprised. I hope Scrapbooks Etc will concentrate on the Etc to broaden their readership and maximise their chances of survival.
I’m sad about this, too. With Scrapbook Trends adding an online version (good for them for being first, although their high-price point makes me think they’ll fail), I think their print mag. might be the next to go.
Maybe CK and Etc. will be the right amount of print magazine for the size of our demographic. I just hope they’ll fill in for the loss of style variety that we enjoyed in the past from so many different magazines.
With only 2 magazines left hopefully they will be able to survive. As a consumer I wonder what happens to the money I have paid into my subscription? Any chance on see those $ ever again??
This is the second of my subscriptions to “go under”. (The first was Wondertime.) The first one gave anyone with a sub a limited time to view another mag online with similar content. NOT a fair trade!
This is so disappointing
terrible news, and I guess that means no Masters Competition either?
I figured this was coming as soon as they made the big changes around Oct-Dec 2007 and completely revamped the magazine. I cancelled my subscription at that time. I think those changes and the economy were the one-two punch that did the magazine in. Sad, but maybe they would have survived if they’d have left things alone.
I’m not surprised… although its sad that the industry (and everything else) is struggling so much.
I’m sooo sad about Simple Scrapbooks though… it was by far my favorite.
I think I’m done with scrapbook magazines… I’ve subscribed for a lot of years but with so many great ideas online and in galleries I’m feeling its time to move on from the magazines… less clutter for my house too!