History
Launched as a bi-monthly publication in 1977, Us Magazine was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986 and is a part of Wenner Media LLC, which also publishes Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal.
In 1999, the company announced plans to shift the Us publication schedule from monthly to weekly. The shift coincided with a change in style from industry news and reviews to a celebrity- focused news magazine. The move was a response to several market forces, including the success of Time, Inc.’s Entertainment Weekly and People magazines. Wenner expressed his intention to keep Us "celebrity-friendly" in contrast with the more gossipy character of its competitors. He told the New York Times: "We will be nice to celebrities. A lot of my friends are in the entertainment business." The publication focuses on celebrity fashion as well as Hollywood gossip; Kelli Delaney, current New York designer for Members Only, formerly served as Fashion Director of the publication (1992–95).
The magazine changed from a monthly to a weekly format in March 2000. In February 2001, Wenner partnered with The Walt Disney Company. But, in August 2006, Wenner Media re-acquired Disney's 50 percent stake, making the publication once again fully owned and operated by Wenner Media. In July 2003, Janice Min took over as Editor in Chief with Victoria Lasdon Rose as Publisher, and Michael Steele as Executive Editor. Steele took over for Min in 2009. London-born Melanie Bromley became West Coast Bureau Chief in 2007 and is based in Los Angeles. Lara Cohen is the magazine's News Director.
Us Weekly Important Dates:
- 1977: Us founded by The New York Times Company
- 1980: Us acquired by Macfadden Media
- 1986: Us acquired by Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc., now known as Wenner Media LLC
- 1991: Us changes its bi-weekly frequency to become monthly
- March 2000: Us changes from a monthly format and goes weekly, changing its title
- February 2001: Us Weekly partners with The Walt Disney Company
- January 2006: Us Weekly increases rate base to 1.75 Million
- July 2006: Us Weekly launches Usmagazine.com
- August 2006: Wenner Media re-acquires Disney’s 50 percent stake in Us Weekly
Read more about this topic: Us Weekly
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