Can Colbert get new Newsweek noticed?
Is Stephen Colbert more like Roseanne Barr or Hilary Duff? That's an important question for Newsweek, which is hoping to publicize its recent makeover by publishing an issue about Iraq guest-edited by the Comedy Central faux-pundit.New-look Newsweek is sleeker and punchier, with less rehashing of current events and more opinion and argument -- a mix calculated to appeal to a smaller but more elite audience. But none of the changes will matter if people don't bother to sample the new product.
Enter Colbert. In some ways, he's a perfect fit as the host of a news show, one with a distinct point of view, that's popular with the clued-in consumers Newsweek hopes to attract. On the other hand, his presence could be confusing, since Colbert is both a real person and a fictional character. Which is the guest editor? (Answer from a Newsweek spokesman: "His contributions are in character, but handing out assignments was the serious, real Colbert. It's a serious subject, treated as such.") And having handed over the reins to a comedian, however jokingly, might come back to haunt Newsweek next time its credibility gets seriously called into question, as it did when the magazine reported that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had mistreated copies of the Koran, sparking deadly riots.
But that's in the future. Right now, Newsweek needs to convince readers to take a fresh look, and the evidence suggests that a guest-editor is an effective way to accomplish that limited goal. Most other magazines that have invited a celebrity to guest-edit an issue enjoyed a temporary surge in sales. Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue, overseen by U2 singer Bono, was the title's best-performing issue of the year, selling 30 percent more copies than usual on the newsstand, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. An issue of O, The Oprah Magazine guest-edited by Sarah Jessica Parker and published the same month sold 16 percent above average. And the famous issue of The New Yorker edited by Roseanne Barr was a newsstand hit, whatever damage it may have inflicted on the magazine's reputation: It sold 90,000 copies, doubling the title's average.
But it doesn't always pay off. An October 2006 issue of Seventeen guest-edited by Hilary Duff was a fizzle, selling nine percent fewer copies than usual. And then there's the whole question of advertising. The New York Post sounded out media buyers about the Colbert stunt today, and they don't sound very enthusiastic.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-04-2009 @ 6:15PM
jim stretch said...
would someone please unplug STEPHEN COLBERT's laugh machine !!!!!!!
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6-10-2009 @ 8:52PM
Hugh Jassol said...
Conservatives hate Colbert because he exposes them for the narrow-minded, party-first nitwits that they are. I take it you're one of them,,jim. That's not a laugh track, BTW, it's real people and they're all laughing at you, Bushlover. Hahahaha.
6-05-2009 @ 10:24AM
Badbns said...
It's difficult to understand why folks think this obnoxious man is funny.
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6-05-2009 @ 10:25AM
liberal idiot said...
im an idiot
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6-05-2009 @ 10:25AM
KEITH said...
COLBERT! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING. HIS ACT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SATIRE BUT A LOT OF DEEP DOWN AND SICK CONSERVATIVE ATTITUDES KEEP COMING OUT. JON STEWART'S DAILY SHOW IS A LOT BETTER AND A LOT FUNNIER. STEWART ALSO TREATS HIS GUESTS WITH RESPECT AND AT LEAST LETS THEM SAY SOMETHING WHEREAS COLBET ACTS MORE LIKE BILL O'REILLY. IT WILL BE A HAPPY DAY INDEED WHEN COLBERT LEAVES TELEVISION FOR GOOD.
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6-05-2009 @ 9:28AM
John said...
Keith: you do realize that Colbert is in character on his show, don't you? His character is so far right that it's left. His guests are all briefed about his character ahead of time and thus are in on the joke. There's YouTube video of him, out of character, explaining the nature of his character to Sen. John Kerry prior to a taping of the show. Check it out.
In real life Colbert isn't very political, though he does consider himself a Democrat. He had no real interest in politics before joining the Daily Show.
6-05-2009 @ 10:25AM
chimp chimperson said...
Colbert's comedy is GENIUS! There is no other comedian like him. And nobody else even comes close to doing what he does. His show has only gotten better and better as he's gone along. I'm amazed that he can keep it up and stay in character night after night after night and still remain so consistently hilarious. I'll definitely check out this issue of Newsweek.
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6-05-2009 @ 10:25AM
lola said...
i hope Keith realizes that Stephen Colbert's show and character is meant to be mocking Bill O'reilly completely.so therefor when he does have guests he is allowed to..you know what...Stephen Colbert is the most amazing man ever and one day he will come down from the heavens to save your poor deprived soul who takes TV and politics way too serious.
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6-05-2009 @ 10:25AM
nick said...
Jeff Bercovici he can't make apple pie out of a pigs ear. I use to buy Newsweek, but they went so far to the left and got down on their knees to be Monica like this Colbert to the Obama/Rham slime machine.
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6-05-2009 @ 10:48AM
geomcd said...
these magazines are like ABC, NBC,CBS, and the New York Times(to name just a few). They aren't about to report news. They want to make the news and make it slant far left. I quit reading these lop-sided things a long time ago.
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6-05-2009 @ 10:50AM
Chuck said...
What about the Colbert/NASA scandal? People voted for the new Mars rover to be named Colbert and NASA found that unacceptable. Instead they stuck his name on a piece of exercise equipment on the space station.
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6-05-2009 @ 2:45PM
Ron said...
I agree completely with Hugh in post #2. He hit it dead on
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6-05-2009 @ 12:27PM
Mike said...
Based on what was said in the article it can no longer called Newsweek. It must become Opinionweek.
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6-08-2009 @ 3:15PM
smartia said...
I agree with your proposed name change. I really liked Newsweek but can't stomach the new design and concept. I don't mind reading opinion, but I subscribed because I wanted news.
6-05-2009 @ 1:58PM
Virginia said...
What is wrong with you people? Cobert is f#@*ing awesome! So is Jon Stewart. It's about time free speech was put to good use. Sometimes some things need to be said. You people are undeniably lame, dumb and boring. It takes a brilliant person to be quick-witted. more often than not they along w/their incredible writing staff-nail it.
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