Tuesday, December 15 ID Magazine to Cease Publication
Share ID Magazine, the venerable standard of industrial design in the US, is closing after 55 years as a print publication. It will continue doing its design annual, but only online.
I’ve certainly had my issues with ID Magazine, but still it’s sad to see it go after not being able to adapt to the world we’re in now.
From the press release:
December 15, 2009
To Readers, Advertisers and Friends of I.D. Magazine:
Since 1954, I.D. Magazine has served as one of America’s leading critical magazines covering the art, business, and culture of design. Today it is with regret that we announce its closure. The January/February issue of I.D. will be its last; subscribers to I.D. will receive Print magazine for the balance of their subscription.
frog design has put up a flickr slideshow of some of its famous back-cover ads from ID over the decades, check it out
economy, id magazine, industrial design, publishing | IN CATEGORIES... Advertising, Culture, Design
Reader Comments (2)
I.D had gone through bad periods before, it could have survived this latest crisis if only it had the support from above. It hasn't for years now, and this was only inevitable.
However, as someone who previously worked at the magazine, I hope people realize the blame should not be put on the staff of the magazine for "not adapting to the world we live in now", but the rather archaic parent company who had systematically choked it off oxygen by lowering standards/budgets/employees in the chase for a quick short-term buck. It's hard to adapt to the modern world when a staff of 4 is expected to turn out a magazine, run a complete website, and manage a 1000+ entry contest, on a budget that makes a McDonalds employee feel smug.
Funny my own complaint with ID is around the same topic at the same time - http://www.portigal.com/blog/id-magazine-awards/ - I have gone through various levels of strong interest and strong disinterest; episodes like that - with the competitions so compromised - really tilted me towards disinterest. Of course, I'm sad that they are gone because I consumed them vicariously. "Not for me, maybe, " I thought, "But glad to know they exist." That's the case for many products, isn't it? We support it, except we don't buy it.