Online shift puts another mag out of print
GERMAN publishing titan Bauer Media is closing the Australian edition of women’s magazine Cosmopolitan after 45 years of publication.
It means the title joins former rival Cleo among the most famous titles to yield to the onslaught from digital media.
Bauer chief Paul Dykzeul announced yesterday that the December issue would be the last.
“It has not been an easy decision to make, however, the commercial viability of the magazine in Australia is no longer sustainable,” Mr Dykzeul said in a statement.
The move follows a series of magazine closures at Bauer’s Australian operations.
It is the latest warning sign that the shift to digital media is threatening to end young Australian women’s love affair with print magazines.
“Magazine closures are never easy, desirable or done without careful consideration for all of those involved,” said Mr Dykzeul.
“We have to ensure that we are continually reshaping and defining the business so that our readers of today, and those of tomorrow, remain engaged with the content we publish and the platforms upon which we deliver.
“We are incredibly proud of the brand and the people who have been involved and represented over the last 45 years.”
Aimed at women aged 18 to 34, Cosmopolitan’s Australian edition is published under licence from storied US publisher Hearst, which became a global player in the 1960s partly on the back of the title’s huge success.
The Australian edition has launched the careers of scores of journalists and editors, as well as adjacent brands such as the 30-year-old Cosmo Bachelor Of The Year event.
It counts Mia Freedman among former editors.
Cleo, which was first edited by Ita Buttrose, ceased publication early in 2016.