In case anyone hasn’t heard, Jane Magazine has folded and I am completely bummed — and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Jane was a woman’s magazine that was for a less mainstream woman. It was quirkly, funny, and real. I love Cosmo as much as the next girl, but could relate more to and was more interested in the content of Jane (IE: the cover girl of their June/July issue being the fantastic Zooey Deschanel!) Everything from the bands featured to real-life stories were so different from what you’d find in typical woman and teen magazines.
As a great article in the NYTimes pointed out: “Jane was the first mainstream magazine to usher in a new kind of feminine persona for the Mary Tyler Moores of the 21st century. This was a woman — actually, she would have called herself a girl — who maxed out her credit card on clothes from American Apparel and H & M. She ate doughnuts and drank beer. She had one-night stands. And the magazine told her not to worry about it.”
So I’d like to take a quick moment to reflect on the 10 years that Jane had. Jane — it was fun while it lasted and I always hoped that someday I would get the chance to write for you. I’m a magazine junkie and will read just about anything (including my dad’s Men’s Health or any parenting magazine that is in the doctor’s office), but you were one of the few magazines that got me excited. You will be missed.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Jamia // Jul 15, 2007 at 10:41 am
I heard it happened from someone who knew staff there and I thought it was just a rumor. So sad. I LOVED Sassy and Jane was Sassys (less radical and more mainstream) but cool big sister. I had my issues with Jane but it was still my guilty pleasure. I even felt the need to stand up for it sometimes when I read Bitch magazine’s anti-Jane column each issue. Jane was a pro-choice, awesome magazine that could be shallow sometimes, but it reached women around the country teaching them about things they would never learn about if it didn’t come in Jane’s cool, concise, girl friendly package…
I was wondering why there was no new Jane on the stand…. I also liked the changes Brandon was making to the magazine… Very sad.
2 Kate // Jul 15, 2007 at 12:10 pm
beth, i was equally as sad as you. the print journalism world needs a boost, because with the onset of internet journalism, way too much good stuff is going under!
3 Hollis // Jul 16, 2007 at 12:12 pm
I too was incredibly upset to know that Jane folded. I remember the firt article I read from that magazine was an interview with Britney Spears. They were polite, but made it clear were honest in the interview. There was no sugar coating. I loved it. It’s incredibly unfortunate that honest, REAL magazines are folding while PEOPLE thrives.
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