The Onion, Playboy bringing back print editions amid trend to go digital

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE PRINTED WORD IS IN A FIGHT FOR RELEVANCE IN THE DIGITAL AGE.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, INSTYLE, PARENTS, THE OPRAH WINFREY MAGAZINE ARE JUST SOME OF THE TITLES THAT HAVE STOPPED PRODUCTION OF THEIR PRINTED EDITIONS IN RECENT YEARS. A SIMILAR FATE IN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY – WITH SOME ELIMINATING PRINTING DAYS – WHILE OTHERS GETTING RID OF THE PRINTED VERSION ALTOGETHER.

JUST LAST MONTH – FIVE NEWSPAPERS IN OREGON CEASE PRINTING – CITING COMMON REASONS LIKE LACK OF ADVERTISING REVENUE, DROP IN CIRCULATION, AND A FOCUS ON DIGITAL.

BUT ONE NEWSPAPER IS TRYING TO BREAK FROM THIS TREND – AND STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD – SOMETHING IT’S BEEN KNOWN TO DO BEFORE.

THE ONION IS BRINGING BACK ITS PRINTED VERSION.

AND UNLIKE THE STORIES THIS SATIRICAL PUBLICATION PUBLISHES DAILY – THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

THE ONION IS RETURNING TO ITS ROOT – MAKING A PRINTED EDITION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A DECADE – AND SENDING IT OUT MONTHLY TO SUBSCRIBERS – REMINISCENT OF THE PAPER’S EARLY DAYS IN THE 1980S.

BEN COLLINS, THE FORMER NBC NEWS REPORTER NAMED ONION CEO EARLIER THIS YEAR BY THE COMPANY’S NEW OWNERS, TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES – THE PRINT EDITION IS ONE OF SEVERAL PERKS FOR ONLINE SUBSCRIBERS – A WAY TO KEEP THEM INVESTED IN THE BRAND – AND TO KEEP PAYING THE FIVE DOLLARS MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION FEE.

BUT WHILE THE TREND MAY BE TO SHUTTER PRINT TO SAVE MONEY — THE ONION IS NOT ALONE IN CHALLENGING THAT THINKING.

EARLIER THIS YEAR — BEDFORD MEDIA – THE HOLDING COMPANY FOUNDED BY MODEL AND ENTREPRENEUR KARLIE KLOSS (KLAUSS)  AND HER HUSBAND INVESTOR JOSH KUSHNER – ACQUIRED THE RIGHTS TO LIFE MAGAZINE – WITH PLANS TO RELAUNCH LIFE AS A PRINT MAGAZINE – SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN SEEN IN 24 YEARS.

AND JUST LAST WEEK — PLAYBOY – WHICH SHUTTERED ITS PHYSICAL MAGAZINE IN 2020 AFTER 66 YEARS – ANNOUNCED IT’S BRINGING THE PRINTED VERSION BACK – BUT THIS TIME ON AN ANNUAL BASIS – WITH THE FIRST ISSUE SET FOR FEBRUARY 2025.

AND HOW ABOUT THIS – WHILE IT’S COMMON FOR LEGACY PUBLICATIONS TO SWITCH FROM THE PRINTED PAGE TO ONLINE – A WEBSITE IS BECOMING A MAGAZINE. THE CUT – A NEW YORK MAGAZINE SITE OWNED BY VOX MEDIA –WILL BE RELEASING ITS FIRST-EVER STAND-ALONE FALL FASHION PRINT EDITION NEXT MONTH.

BUT AS THESE BRANDS TURN TO PRINT – OTHERS SAY THEY SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL.

TAKE FOR INSTANCE — UNITED AIRLINES – HALTING THE PRINTING OF ITS 32-YEAR-OLD INFLIGHT MAGAZINE “HEMISPHERES.”

IT TOO WILL BE REPLACED WITH A DIGITAL VERSION STARTING NEXT MONTH.

MEANING PRINT PUBLICATIONS ARE STILL IN A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL WHETHER IT’S ON THE MAGAZINE RACK OR 30 THOUSAND FEET UP.