Entertainment

Oprah Winfrey’s Magazine to Cease Regular Print Publication as Brand Becomes “Digitally Centric”

Oprah Winfrey’s monthly magazine will cease printing after its December 2020 issue, according to a report by Business of Fashion.

Asked for comment, a rep for Hearst Magazines emphasized to The Hollywood Reporter that the brand is not going away but will become “more digitally centric.”

“As the brand celebrates twenty years of O, The Oprah Magazine, we’re thinking about what’s next, but again the partnership and the brand are not going away,” the rep said in a statement. “This is a natural next step for the brand, which has grown to an online audience of 8 million, extending its voice and vision with video and social content. We will continue to invest in this platform as the brand grows and evolves into one that is more digitally centric.”

Said Winfrey in a statement: “I’m proud of this team and what we have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years. I look forward to the next step in our evolution.”

The staff of O: The Oprah Magazine, which was founded by Winfrey and Hearst Communications, was informed of the decision on Friday.

“Twenty years ago, O, The Oprah Magazine launched as a personal growth guide to help women live their best lives,” said Lucy Kaylin, editor in chief of O, The Oprah Magazine. “As we embark on this next chapter, we will lean into moments that are central to the brand’s DNA and deepen the connection with our loyal readers.”

Kristen O’Hara, chief business officer of Hearst Magazines, added that the company is “honored to be working with Oprah and her team to reimagine the future.”

News of the famed women’s magazine coming to an end follows criticism for the Hearst Magazines division, which publishes Good HousekeepingHarper’s Bazaar and Elle, among others. A recent report by the New York Times included employees describing its toxic environment as well as sexually offensive remarks by former president Troy Young, who resigned Thursday.

As of 2020, the average paid circulation for the magazine was 2.2 million copies and a print audience of 10 million.

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