Life is again struggling to survive. Once one of the world’s best known and popular picture weeklies, the magazine which dates back to the days of Henry Luce, has folded – and been revived – several times.
Most recently two years ago when it was reincarnated as a weekly supplement inserted into around 100 newspapers in the US, notably the NY Daily News. But lately the publication has become skimpier.
A recent issue ran to only 16 pages, of which only two carried ads. Although it officially has a circulation of around 12 million, for income it has to rely on advertising. Last year it had only 327 ad pages – well below its rival weekend supplements, Parade for example which had 690 ad pages and USA Weekend which had 708 pages.
Reportedly Life is losing a whopping $35 million a year. Officials insist there are no plans to shut Life down again. Contracts run for at least another year, they point out. However there is a suspicion that once again Life is fighting to survive.
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