VIBE's Danyel Smith on the Future of Magazines

VIBE's editor in chief sees her magazine eventually becoming secondary to its online version, VIBE.com, which is really saying something because this write-up of her presentation at the Direct Marketing Association says that 82 percent of the magazine's 850,000 circulation are subscribers.

“Vibe.com exists because of our magazine, but in five years I think the opposite will be true,” Ms. Smith said. “I am constantly going upstairs and asking for more bandwidth rather than pages at this point.”

Ms. Smith said that continuous conversation with circulation professionals is crucial to editorial.

“Every magazine is now a 24/7 daily newspaper,” she said. “I think it’s about being a part of the future.”

While several friends -- one young journalist among them -- have said they're not into VIBE like they used to be, I think the magazine and its site has flourished under Danyel who is not just a journalist but an author of two novels from a major publishing house -- no small feat. (She's also married to XXL EIC Elliott Wilson; that dinner table convo must be something else!!!) I really dig VBlogs, especially Sean Fennessey's, which gives updated commentary on running rap beefs with built-in, easy-to-play audio.

Slav Kandyba writes Hip Hop Files.

Comments

[Remikie]

I would love to have an e-mail address for miss Smith, I would love to ask her what is required of me, to be a very good editor of a magazine.

[Slav Kandyba]

I don't have her e-mail, and frankly she probably will not answer respond, Remikie. She is a busy lady, you know?! I'd google her name and see what you can come up with.

I strongly suggest you check out and join Journalisticks.com and peruse the "Soapbox," which is maintained by former Source news editor Chloe Hilliard.

I hope that helps.