NM Business Journal

The magazine has folded, finally. The notice came in a story posted yesterday by the New Mexico Business Weekly. The bit of sadness at the news of the demise comes from having been the founding editor of the BJ in its magazine incarnation in 1978. It was preceded by a tabloid directed at real estate. 

The BJ was often on financially shaky ground, except under the ownership of George Hackler. Beyond the financial issues, a continuing credibility problem came from linking editorial coverage with advertising purchase. That aside, a publication always has the challenge of producing an interesting and useful editorial product, which is necessary to keep people reading the publication and viewing the ads. In later years, the BJ did not meet that challenge. 

However, even in this day of Internet news, statewide business magazines still exist. Last fall the new owners of Corporate Report Wisconsin said they gross close to $1 million annually. 

Thoughts?