O stands for Oprah and for over. The Oprah magazine, called O, is apparently over.
Begun twenty years ago in print, and 10 years ago digitally, there are reports that O will cease print operations with the December issue. The website may continue. One editor has hinted at that on social media.
This is a surprise since the magazine has been considered a success in Hearst’s shaky empire of publications that include Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harpers Bazaar, and Marie Claire. O has a reported average paid circulation of 2.2 million copies and a 10 million print audience
But Hearst is in a huge crisis since the ousting this week of CEO Troy Young after a New York Times story exposed his extreme bad behavior. Young and his cohort, chief content officer Kate Lewis, came from the digital side of the business, took over the magazines, and began destroying them.
It’s unclear right now if Oprah herself pulled the plug, or Hearst did it for her. It would seem if Oprah –who’s appeared on every cover — wanted to continue the print magazine she could publish it or herself or move it to a different publisher. But the headaches of continuing may be something she’s simply not interested in anymore. She’s 66 years old, and concentrating on her OWN Network.
When O the Oprah magazine began, Oprah’s bff Gayle King ran the show. But over the years, Gayle, obviously, has found great success with the CBS Morning News. The current editor in chief is Lucy Kaylin, who’s been with Hearst for 14 years. But Kaylin must have known the writing was on the wall. She hasn’t Tweeted since February 9th.
Stay tuned…
If anyone knows more, I’m at showbiz411@gmail.com.
