Conde Nast Publications

Lynna Lee    LaGrange, KY, USA

Posted at 12:36pm on Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Please remove my name from all of your magazine mailing lists. Someone, sold someone, sold someone a mailing list with my name on it and I do not want to receive any more trashy mags"FREE". If I choose to subscribe to any of the many offers, "UGH", then I will touch base with you directly and not be embarrassed but free publications, selling sex and everything else under the sun. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

L. L.

Media Owners editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 1:52pm on Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Conde Nast magazines' ad pages dropped sharply in 2009, the New York Times reported on November 11, 2009:

"Condé Nast’s ad-page numbers are in for its 2009 issues, helping shed light on why the company made sharp cuts this fall.

The company’s ad pages at monthly magazines have declined by almost a third since last year, with the company losing 8,359 ad pages this year, according to estimates it released Wednesday. Condé Nast began cost-cutting this fall, closing Gourmet, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride and Cookie.

The worst-hit magazines for the year were Architectural Digest, where ad pages fell 49.9 percent; W, where ad pages fell 46 percent; and Condé Nast Traveler, where pages fell 41.1 percent. Details and Wired both fell about 39 percent."

The full story:
www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/media/12mag.html

Media Owners editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:53pm on Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Conde Nast has hired a "crisis intervention expert," the New York Post reported on November 6, 2009:

"Conde Nast CEO Charles Townsend and Chairman S.I. Newhouse, Jr. are turning to Washington, DC-based crisis manager and media coach Michael Sheehan to help with PR.

Sheehan has coached Democratic presidential candidates from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama. He handled AIG during its near-death experience and JP Morgan in its acquisition of Chase.

A source said that Newhouse and Townsend were reluctant to make the hire, but did so under prodding from Lucky publisher Gina Sanders, who used Sheehan when she was launching Teen Vogue.

Sanders and others noted that morale at Condé has hit an all-time low. This year it has folded an unprecedented six magazines, including Gourmet and Cookie, and fired at least 460 employees. Its glitzy image has also taken a drubbing on Madison Avenue."

The full story:
www.nypost.com/p/news/business/conde_nast_hires_crisis_intervention_vidC9EqwxH7SDfX7Ym9k5L

Missy    Greenwich, CT.

Posted at 9:22am on Friday, October 16th, 2009

A sad mistake to disconitnue Gourmet. I have been reading the magazine for over 20 years. It has bought me many hours of reading and cooking enjoyment. I hope you will reconsider.

Allison    Washington, D.C.

Posted at 9:07am on Thursday, October 8th, 2009

I think the decision by Conde Nast to shutter Gourmet magazine was a very poor one indeed. I found Gourmet to be one of the most creative and inspiring magazines I'd come across and I looked forward to its arrival in my mailbox every month. Please do not think, Conde Nast, that I will now switch over to Bon Appetit, or buy any Conde Nast publications in the future. You have lost one customer for good.

Eileen Sypher    Connecticut

Posted at 6:12am on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

My husband woke me this morning with the shattering news that you are closing Gourmet magazine. Gourmet is a staple of our culture and an inspiration to all who cook for their families and guests. I use it the way I use no cookbook. NO OTHER MAGAZINE matches it. If you think some of us will move over to Bon Appetit, I think you are very mistaken. I'll go to Food and Wine--unless you reconsider this very ill-advised decision.

Media Owners editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 4:08pm on Monday, October 5th, 2009

Condé Nast announced on October 5, 2009 that it will close four magazines -- Gourmet, Cookie, Elegant Bride and Modern Bride.

The closure of Gourmet magazine, which has been published since 1941, is the biggest surprise. Of the others, Cookie magazine was launched in 2005, and the two bridal magazines are smaller than Brides magazine, which is also owned by Conde Nast.

Conde Nast CEO Charles H. Townsend said the company made the decision because the magazines were losing money. He also said that none of the 180 employees of the magazines, including Gourmet editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl, are expected to stay with the company.

Todd Timmcke    Edmonds, WA

Posted at 12:08pm on Monday, October 5th, 2009

Gourmet is the best food magazine out there. Please reconsider closing it. Wait it out. You will only be losing loyal customers forever. When will customer satisfaction be more important than the bottom line?

Kevin Warr    San Francisco, CA

Posted at 11:00am on Monday, October 5th, 2009

Keep Gourmet Magazine! Gourmet is the premiere cooking and food magazine in the US and it would be a shame to loose it, after its many, many years of bringing people joy. Please don't kill it!

Judith Stanton    Dewitt, NY

Posted at 10:24am on Monday, October 5th, 2009

KEEP GOURMET MAGAZINE! I have just read that Conde Nast is planning to end publication of Gourmet, and I am writing to protest this decision. Ruth Reichl has made Gourmet into a great publication, bringing us wonderful recipes and thought-provoking ideas about food and food-related issues. I hope you will reconsider this decision.