Saw this linked on this music email list I'm on.

...

Someone close to the magazine has said:

“It has laid off its entire staff except its lone editor and a few pro-bono scribes,” says this person. “It has defected from its office space on Wilshire (the ed. now works from home), and is focusing all of its resources on its flash-burdened website. Forthcoming print issues are expected but a future is realistically uncertain.”

http://badcopnodonuts.com/2009/03/08/magazine-death-watch/

Damn.

I was  never a fan of Fader, but I did like Urb.

I had  a subscription to them a year ago.

Print is in bad shape. Everyone thinks the internet is easy, but it's not at all. The transition from print to net is not easy. Also, you have far less competitors in print. Online you have thousands of competitors and any kid with an internet connection can start a blog right now.

Prefix #1!!!!

Prefix is #1.

Guess it was just a rumor and not true:

 

From the URB Editors:

The 18-year-old URB magazine has not laid off its staff. We had two layoffs in January, one in editorial and one in marketing. We have since hired on additional freelancers and developed partnerships to handle some of our marketing programs. We still maintain a staff, including two editors, and several staff in marketing and promotions.

URB is in the process of moving its offices from Beverly Hills to New York city, in April. The next issue, its annual Next 100, is due out in mid-March. URB also partnered in the recent Coachella Digital magazine and will be co-hosting its event “Indioasis” during Coachella weekend. According to Google Analytics, URB.COM continues to grow 10% a month.

Like all publications, URB has seen a defection in print ad revenue due to both the souring economy, as well as the challenges traditional media face. But as a brand and franchise, URB continues to innovate into new areas, including digital publishing, custom media, book publishing, creative services and event marketing. Seeing this as the natural and necessary maturation of the industry, URB continues to be a leader into new media platforms and services.

http://www.thedailyswarm.com/headlines/update-urb-responds-no-staff-wide-layoffs-re-tooling-future/

 ...

Also, despite your findings, we still have a paid staff (less two people) and that includes two paid editors. We also have three people handling marketing projects, promotions and sales. Beyond this, we have a number of partnerships, and alliances that help us spearhead additional activities. And we have a commissioned agency handling our digital sales.

 

And the battery life of most magazines will be questionable in 2009. Dramatic changes....

 

http://www.magazinedeathpool.com/magazine_death_pool/2009/03/urb-cofounder-and-publisher-roker-says-put-the-sickle-away-for-a-minute.html

plz send all unpaid invoices to raymond@urb.com. kthxbi