Amusement Buisness Magazine Closes Its Doors!

[robbalvey]

http://www.amusementbusiness.com/amusementbusiness/industrynews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002611147

 

May 31, 2006

Amusement Business closes its doors

 

Dutch-based media company VNU has closed Amusement Business magazine.

 

The 111-year-old publication published its final issue in May. Today’s AB Daily News online edition is the last one.

 

VNU relaunched AB as a monthly in June 2004. A spokesman called the closing “a business decision.”

 

Wow! Was is really aruond for 111 years?!??!

 

--Robb

[MSLSM]

When I first read that, I was thinking of Amusement Today, but it is still sad that the amusement business' largest magazine is no more.

[Cerberus]

Urgh, I hope this isn't an indication of the state of the amusement industry in general.

 

Hard times for a single media company, or hard times for the whole tourist and leisure industry?

[Meteornotes]

^I think it's more hard times for the publishing industry. About a decade ago, a lot of consolidation in the magazine/periodical market started. This resulted in companies owning hundreds or even thousands of publications, and they are hyper-focused on the bottom line. There's not as much ad revenue as there once was (with dollars being spread around in traditional media, as well as new places like the web), so any sort of marginal publication is quickly put on the chopping block. So my guess would be the magazine was not bringing in the advertising revenue they needed.

 

Last time I looked, the tourist industry was actually doing pretty good. Travel and tourism is supposed to be high this summer in the US, despite high gas prices. Hard to say what's going to happen at the beginning of the season, of course, but the various articles I've read recently have been positive...

 

dt

[Jon Sabo]

After 112 yrs of business and it just "suddenly" closes is not only a suprise to many people, but I really would blame upper management for the misrepresentation of the business as of late (especially the last 3 yrs or so). This is because the focus shifted AWAY from themeparks & fairs and concentrated mainly on other attractions (ie-concerts, aquariums, and so on). Also, there were some suspect decisions among management in defining its actual focus (what was bringing in the money). They repeatedly decided to focus away from the themepark agenda/stories, therefore the advertising for that market just went to S(#)@@_.

 

I was a member of this organization for about 8 yrs or so and received ALOT of good quality information and now they are just closing its doors. I expect Amusement Today to take over the "mess" what was remaining from the business (as well as tap into some of their journalists to work for A-T also).

 

It's a sad and pathetic time for A-B, but perhaps there is a brighter future for its competitor(s).