Publishers Cut Adult News Down to Kids' Size

Staff -- School Library Journal, 5/1/1999

This month the New York Times and Scholastic Inc. will unveil a news magazine for teenagers, New York Times Upfront. The magazine is the latest entry in a growing publishing trend: the teen spin-off. As the number of teens--and the influence they wield over spending--has grown over the past decade, so has the number of magazines trying to cash in, including People, and Time. Newsweek is another major media player who will soon be launching a brand-name publication designed specifically for teenagers.

What remains to be seen is whether librarians will jump to add the new crop of teen-oriented magazines to their collections. Gail Richmond, a library media specialist at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego, says it's unlikely that she will. "By the time we support our curriculum and keep up with a few basic subscriptions," says Richmond, "there's no money left over for teen versions."