EBONY Magazine In Flux - Print Magazine Folds, Digital Seems To Continue

EBONY Magazine and its spin off political sister magazine Jet, reportedly fired its online editorial staff without pay, as reported by the New York Daily News and The Root, and suspended the print publication. So far, Spring 2019 has been the last issue.

The Background

Founded by John H. Johnson in 1945, EBONY Magazine was the source for African American culture, news and perspective. When Johnson died in 2005, his daughter Linda Johnson Rice took the helm. By that time, the shifts in media publishing were starting to prove too volatile for survival. Rice sold the Johnson Publishing Company building in 2010 to Columbia College, moving the staff to more affordable offices.

In 2016, both EBONY and Jet were sold to The Clear View Group (CVG), an African American investment group bringing over 25 years of experience in running successful corporations.

#EbonyOwes Social Campaign Emerges In Defense Of Unpaid Freelance Writers

In 2017, a social media campaign #EbonyOwes forced Clear View Group’s owners Michael Gibson and Willard Jackson into the public eye for not paying their freelance writers, as reported by Vice. Fifty freelance writers were owed a collective amount of $200K. In response, EBONY made an effort to pay them with $18K offered to 11 writers, 3 of whom were paid in full. The National Writers Union stepped in, taking EBONY Media and its parent company CVG to court.

On February 27, 2018, the remaining 43 writers finally settled their lawsuit with Ebony Magazine, according to Kinja. Ebony Media, Clear View Group and the National Writers Union came to an agreement that all unpaid invoices would be compensated by the end of the year in four quarterly payments. But by October 2018, Ebony missed its third quarter payment. After another lawsuit and more social media shaming, CVG made the final payment by December 7, 2018 - three weeks before the final deadline.

In November 2018, the company suspended dental, vision and disability overage, suggesting the possibility of reinstating benefits in June 2019. But on January 3, 2019, all other medical benefits were cancelled, including HSA plans.

…And Then Print…And Then Payroll…

In May of 2019, CVG informed their staff that the print edition of EBONY would be suspended on May 24th. On May 30th, a memo informed staffers that payroll would be delayed. Some employees have mentioned that their 401(k) contributions deducted from their paychecks were never added to their accounts, according to the New York Post.

The magazine cover created by Lawrence Ross for TheRoot.com, as a parody. Ebony Magazine took TheRoot.com to court alleging trademark infringement. It was ruled that the satirical cover was protected under the First Amendment.
Image Credit: Lawrence Ross

EBONY Magazine Loses Lawsuit Over Satirical and Critical Magazine Cover

Ebony Magazine lost a lawsuit against TheRoot.com, for allegedly infringing on Ebony’s trademark due to this magazine cover parody created by Lawrence Ross. It was ruled that the satirical cover was protected under the First Amendment.

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the Southern District of New York wrote, “Each of the 5 headlines on the Accused Image is harshly and unambiguously critical of EBONY Magazine —sarcastically purporting to preview (non-existent) stories about: the magazine being a ‘deadbeat,ʼthe magazineʼs owners ‘show[ing] us howʼ to cheat black writers, ‘100 Ways Ebony Doesnʼt Pay Writers,ʼ the magazineʼs owners as ‘Slow Pay Kings of Black Biz,ʼ and ‘Thousands in Back Payʼ owed by the magazine. It is difficult to imagine any reader experiencing confusion as to whether or not EBONY Magazine sponsored or endorsed a cover that portrays it in such a negative light. . . .” 

Former EBONY Publisher Files For Bankruptcy

In April 2019, former EBONY publisher Johnson Publishing Company filed for bankruptcy, which does not impact the publication, according to EBONY as quoted in Black Press USA.  They are in the process of selling off all remaining assets, including an archive of photos chronicling black American history and Fashion Fair cosmetics, the first cosmetic line to address the beauty needs of the African American community it retained from Linda Johnson Rice.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from the article at The Root.

Photo Archives Of African American People And History Are Unsecured

The photo archives were once valued at $46 million in 2015, according to TheSource.com. The photo archives included photos of entertainers, civil rights leaders and prominent African American businessmen and women. According to The New York Post: “The archive includes one of the most dramatic photos of the civil rights era: the badly disfigured body of 14-year-old Emmett Till laid out in a coffin. The Chicago native was accused of offending a white woman during a trip to Mississippi, which led to barbed wire being tied around his neck before he was thrown naked into a river with a 75-pound weight tied to him. The photo by David Jackson appeared first in Jet in 1955 and became a searing reminder of racism in the Deep South at the time.”

Financier Mellody Hobson and her husband George Lucas (yes, that George Lucas) are attempting to take control over the archive according to The Root, as it was used as collateral when Capital Holdings V, a company Hobson and Lucas control, lent JPC $12 million dollars back in 2015. The photo collection is set to go up for auction the week of July 15, 2019, likely in Chicago.

How To Pitch 1 Story Idea 2 Ways - Getting The Most Out Of Your Great Ideas

Pitching the media takes time. And you have great ideas! You can repurpose those ideas to get a lot of mileage out of them. Maybe you sell PVC. Or maybe you are a home improvement expert looking to get featured in a story in a magazine or TV. You’re going to spend time thinking up really cool story angles to pitch to the media outlet of your dreams - but the pitching doesn’t need to end there. You can stretch these pitches out to work for different outlets.

How DIY Sprinklers Work For Martha Stewart and Boys’ Life

Look at the example that published in Boys’ Life: “How To Build A PVC Sprinkler For Summertime Fun.”

The words “PVC” and “Build” are very Boys’ Life. They like to work with this material. These terms are not very Martha Stewart friendly terms, but “Sprinkler” is, as is “Make Your Own” or “DIY.”

You know what else Martha Stewart and other DIY magazines like? Repurposing old stuff. So, this article concept, when pitched to Boys’ Life could include the words “PVC” and “Build” in it.

But, when pitched to Martha Stewart or another DIY magazine with a primarily female audience, could read like this:

“How To Repurpose Your Kid’s Soccer Goal Into A Backyard Sprinkler”

See the difference? These word choices are what we discuss in Tin Shingle’s Pitch Whisperer Club when member submit their pitch drafts for feedback.

Join us! Get in here with your pitch ideas, and let’s see you get some media coverage.

Climbing and Boys' Life Magazines 2019/2020 Editorial Calendars Added To Tin Shingle's Collection

Tin Shingle has added the 2019 Editorial Calendars for Climbing and Boys’ Life in our Editorial Calendar Collection for our members to browse through. Tin Shingle’s entire collection includes 100+ other magazines for you to browse by Title or Area of Interest!

About Climbing Magazine

Climbing and Boys’ Life magazines cater to lovers of the outdoors of all ages. With a print audience of 54k and a digital audience of 1 million, Climbing magazine is a niche publication dedicated to, well, climbing! Led by a staff of active climbers, the publication employs award winning photography, deeply researched articles, technical and training how-to advice which makes them the voice of the sport.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR ALERT: Climbing’s “Gear” issue is coming up! You can find out the best submission date by viewing it in Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar Collection!

About Boys’ Life Magazine

Boys’ Life, January 2019

Boys’ Life is the official publication from the Boy Scouts of America. With a circulation of 890k and a readership base of 3.38 million, they’ve been an important part of youth culture for over a century. Boys’ Life is the only youth magazine with 2 demographic editions based on two different age groups, ages 5-11 and ages 11-17. They feature editorials, photos, and buying guides. Now that girls are joining the Cub Scout program, there is plenty of opportunity for brands to reach their target audience.

Members of Tin Shingle at the All Access Level have instant access to ALL of our editorial calendars. We currently have the editorial calendars from over 100 publications for 2019! All searchable by Title and Area of Interest! Browse through and let your inspiration take hold!

EDITORIAL CALENDAR ALERT: Boys’ Life magazine staff works months in advance. They are already working on their winter issues. Your story ideas should be timely for January/February. Grab a copy of the magazine at your local Barnes and Noble, let an idea hit you, and then pitch the magazine! For ideas on How To Pitch, stream one of Tin Shingle’s Training TuneUp webinars. For ideas on Who To Pitch at Boys’ Life, explore Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library with your All Access Pass of Membership.

TIP & STORY IDEAS: These story ideas recently published at Boys’ Life. When you pitch the media, you don’t need to write the article. You need to conceive of a concept, and then say how your product or service would fit in. Ultimately, your business would be used as an example or quoted in the article. Need help with your pitch? Join Tin Shingle and let us see your draft in our exclusive Pitch Whisperer club on our website. We’ll give you helpful feedback!

• How To Build A Frog Pond In Your Backyard

• How To Build A PVC Sprinkler For Summertime Fun

• 3 Wild Plants That Releive Minor Stings, Burns and Itches

• How To Remove A Fishhook From Your Hand Without Making It Worse

• Use An LED Light To Make A Firefly Lantern

BONUS TIP: Click here for a Bonus Tip on how to pitch one of these story ideas two ways!

Get Tin Shingle’s Entire Editorial Calendar Collection

All editorial themes are from editors themselves and are subject to change.

Editorial Calendars are available to level 4 members of Tin Shingle only. Upgrade your membership for instant access. Send in media contact or editorial calendar requests to member@tinshingle.com

Join us! www.tinshingle.com/editorial-calendars

[PR] TuneUp: What To Pitch The Media During: July 2019 (Hint: Gift Guides!)

You know those Gift 🎁 Guides you want?the ones at Holiday time? Those are being put together now!! HOT TIP! Before you completely unplug and go to the pool, know this: July is HOT HOT HOT for pitching the print media! Summer is the time that the big print magazines are putting together their Holiday issues! That's right! Those issues that drop in November and December

HOT TIP! Before you completely unplug and go to the pool, know this: July is HOT HOT HOT for pitching the print media! Summer is the time that the big print magazines are putting together their Holiday issues! That's right! Those issues that drop in November and December.

You want this. You have been waiting all year for this. You missed your chance on this last year. YOU'VE GOT THIS NOW if you tune into this TuneUp.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The key to pitching the media and getting featured is pitching the right idea at the right time. We are going to cover the Media Time Zones during this TuneUp.

Magazines: Where are they in their publishing cycles? Yes, they are making Thanksgiving Dinner. That's where your headspace needs to be when pitching them!

Blogs: A bit more in real time, so no need to bend your brain like that!

TV: What kind of trending ideas can you pitch TV right now to get your business on-air?

Join Katie live at 12pm EST to get ideas for your PR outreach. This Live version of the Training TuneUp is free for all to listen/watch. It is recorded and added to the list of TuneUps that Tin Shingle Members can stream at anytime.

"Smoke 'em" Mentality: The Frame Of Mind You Need To Get 'Er Done

Smoke ‘em

“I’ll smoke him,” is what I said to a friend after my friend told me that they had been talking to So-and-So, who told them that So-and-So was going to up his game in the website design space in a for-real way, rather than a side-gig way. I have occupied the website design space for more than fifteen years of my small business career, and I welcome anyone into that space, as it’s a fast and bumpy ride that needs really good management. Furthermore, there are a lot of fish in the sea, and website design shops with different specialties to accommodate different types and needs of clients.

But here’s the catch of this story. As So-and-So was telling my friend this information, he did so with an apology in his voice. Like: “Tell Katie I’m sorry, but I’m going to be doing websites in the neighborhood.” But because I understand my small business space, and my customer, I feel no fear of this competition. Normally I’d shrug this off, like: “Nice of him to show consideration, but he needn’t!”

But instead I said: “He needn’t be concerned! I’ll smoke him.”

I’m not normally that bold. But it felt good. I wanted to bottle it and use it again.

The core of this reaction happened because this newbie website designer had just crossed the Girlfriend Code Zone by doing something silly to one of my friends, so I was not in a sympathetic place with him. That feeling of utter confidence and clarity of his entering my competitive space was one I wanted to use again for a fight that really mattered.

The “Smoke ‘em” Mentality

The “Smoke ‘em” mentality gets us through a lot of scary things we need to succeed in. Could be a public policy shift. A public opinion shift. A real threat from a competitive business. Or even a threat from a client, or former client. A few years ago, I had a one-time advertising client tell me that if I wrote an article that showed him in a bad light, “You’ll lose me as an advertiser, m’dear.” Well, he wasn’t advertising at the time, so it was an empty threat, but veiled nonetheless. It left me speechless. Not that I cared for losing the business, but that I was spoken to so boldly.

There are other examples that the “I’ll Smoke Him Mentality” could apply to, in order to help someone handle a situation differently, with more effect. And it doesn’t only happen with men. Female business friends in my space who would be considered competition also make moves that are direct hits. You know my feelings now on being polite and apologizing. I’m over it.

The Huge Benefit Of Competition Moving In

There is a huge positive to competition moving in: whatever competition lights the fire under you, and whatever it is that you decide to do with that fire, is probably something you should have been doing anyway. You just had no motivation to do it. Or, you were so hypnotized by your day-to-day that the idea never occurred to you.

Let’s look at marketing strategies, for example. There are loads of different social media photos and videos you could be doing. Or much sharper pitches to the media that could land you a really cool feature. Or a blogging strategy you could start on your website in order to attract searches from Google. Sometimes this competition gives you clarity that was a long time coming.

Fire Lit

Now you see how the the “Smoke ‘em” mentality isn’t a malicious one. It is just a necessary one sometimes. You can be friends with someone, drink wine with them, enjoy their talents or sense of humor. But when you disagree on something, or a big shift needs to happen, you can summon your inner “Smoke ‘em” mentality to “get ‘er done.” Another one of my favorite phrases.

If Your Power Suit Is A Sundress: Rock It

Happy Money Monday, y’all.

Today’s a big day - July 1st. Lots of bills due and the official slip-and-slide into summer.

Suit up in your warrior outfit of choice. Whatever you feel the best in. I’m not a pantsuit kind of a girl. If it’s a power sundress you’re going to rock, then rock it. This dress is mine, and it is proudly purchased at a local boutique, La Mere Clothing and Goods in Beacon, NY, run by April Peri, a 🔥 firecracker herself of innovation and creativity.

You got this. 👊🏼

Fortune Magazine May Be Looking For Do-Gooder Companies - Is Yours One?

Photo Credit: Fortune Magazine

From The Editorial Calendar Collection...

While browsing through the Editorial Calendar Collection during today's Power Hour Tin Shingle TuneUp with a couple of our regular members who show up to get their PR into shape, we saw this approaching deadline that your business may be a fit for.

Below is a sampling of what is inside of our Editorial Calendar Collection. You can search by publication title, or by Area of Interest. We really like that type of search, because you get ideas at publications you had not considered before.

Fortune Magazine

Magazine Issue: September 2019
Theme: Change The World
Fortune's annual list of 50 companies that are doing well by doing good.
Pitch No Later Than: Saturday, June 29, 2019
Newsstand Date: Monday, August 19, 2019

PS: This magazine cover of Fortune Magazine is not current - it’s from 1930 and is really cool.

This Week's Power Hour TuneUp: Last In The PR Challenge Series

PR Challenge
Members-Only TuneUp

When: Wednesday, June 26th
Time: 12pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone.
How: Follow the directions on this page to get the registration link.
All Access Pass Membership

Week 4 of 4 For The PR Challenge
Drop-Ins Welcome

All-Access Members of Tin Shingle are challenged to come to this 1hr Power Hour with 1 PR Goal. We are going to pull focus on it. This is week 4 of 4. Drop-ins welcome!

How It Works:

1. Media Outlet: Pick 1 area where you want the press: Magazine, TV, Blog, Podcast. We are going to look ahead to plan out what would be timely for your pitching.

2. Business Angle: Pick 1 aspect of your business you want to generate PR for.

3. Story Angles: We are going to think up story angles, and you are going to start writing the pitch.

Meanwhile, you are going to submit your email pitch drafts to Tin Shingle's Pitch Whisperer in our Community section.

Join in! Membership required. Activate membership first, then hit this link to get the registration.

Up Next: Social Media Challenge

For those who want to spice up their social media (or put anything into it at all), the next set or Power Hour TuneUps will be for you. If you insist on bringing some PR goals, we won't fight you :)

Success Stories:

Shifts happen during these private TuneUps. It's like group private training! If you put it out there, you'll surprise yourself at what can happen next.

• Paula Kustra, founder of BagRomance.com secured a feature story with a hyper local website in Houston just before she was set to go to tape a morning show segment also featuring her company's bag styles. During the PR Challenge, as a group, we worked out how she could approach the writer, who had been delaying the story, to turn that delay into a publish. Our strategy worked!

• Laura Borland, creator of Vyllage, the app that connects neighbors to receive your packages for you, was featured on a local TV station in her hometown of Florida. How'd she do it? "Repetition and Intensity. I followed Katie's advice after the members-only TuneUp and made a commitment to send my pitch to at least 25 journalists everyday. I used your PR Planning & Tracker to know who I had contacted.
  

• Sierra Bailey, jewelry designer and creator of Manic Trout, landed herself a host position at a major cable network for a crafting show. All because she was brainstorming new ways to get the word out, and what she personally wanted to tap into.

To activate your Tin Shingle All Access Membership, click here.

Women Business Owners: Play. Score. Repeat. Just Like The Women's Soccer Team During The World Cup

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

When I walked into my sunroom where the TV was on the day after the U.S. Women’s soccer team defeated Thailand 13-0 during the World Cup, I heard a group of talk show hosts on FOX discussing the appropriateness of the 13-0 score. FOX is broadcasting the Women’s World Cup this year.

What wasn’t mentioned in the seconds of the segment that I heard, was the previous year’s win of 9-0 the U.S. Women’s team had over Thailand. Or that it was the biggest blowout in history for men or women. Or that it broke the previous record of 11-0 win of Germany over Argentina in 2007. Or that “star striker Alex Morgan scored an astounding 5 goals to tie a long-standing record set by Michelle Akers against Taiwan in 1991,” as pointed out in this New York Daily News article. Or that in soccer, goals matter for a match tie breaker among teams and games played.

An article in The Washington Post by Steven Goff included many of these facts in his overview of the situation, and presented this concept: “The score also raised questions about whether the three-time champions needed to continue hunting for goals.”

Is There Room For Appropriateness In Hunting For Goals?

Hunting for goals is the name of the game. This isn’t a scrimmage. This isn’t a passing exercise. This is the World Cup. The whole point of the game is to score goals, not to apologize or hold back out of politeness.

In the article, defender Kelley O’Hara was quoted: “You don’t want to take your foot off the pedal because you want to respect the game and play them as you would play anyone else. It is a tournament. Goal differential matters. You can’t feel bad for scoring as many goals as possible.”

Turn Passion Into Profit - Is Appropriateness Factored Into Profit?

This reminded me of women in business, who are conditioned and encouraged to follow their passion. “Turn your passion into a paycheck,” is often how it goes. But winning, being a breadwinner, paying the bills, saving for retirement, aren’t usually part of the cliches in pretty Instagram quote posters. Instead, supporters on the home-front may show support, while at the same time, say things that condition a woman to hold back. Like any of these statements:

“If you have a storefront, will it suck you away from the family?”

“I don’t want to financially support a product you think you have, but don’t.”

“Why do you need an LLC (aka any business entity)?”

“The kids miss you.”

“Lower your fundraising projection because the other kids may not fund raise as much, and then you’ll stick out and it might make them feel bad.” (I actually said this one - fortunately my 9-yo daughter called me on it.)

Falling passively behind in our competence can happen easily, thus slowing down the business creation and growth.

Conditioning Women To Back Down Via Everyday Examples - Watch For It

The criticism that was being marketed on TV the morning after the game played right into the hands of casually conditioning women on how they should be in this world: Passive. Polite. To step aside. To step around. To not make someone feel uncomfortable. To not be bossy. Respectful to the point of deadness.

Couch Critics had typed into Comment boxes: “They should have let the clocks run out. I hope they slink home. I hope they don’t get paid what they are fighting for right now.”

Polite vs Getting The Job Done

When you’re on the field, as when you are engaged in the business you have created, you are running your heart out. All of your endorphins and adrenaline and smarts are pumping at their highest levels. When you have physically trained for this moment for years of your life, you are not going to step aside and say:

“You know what, I won’t score on you.”

”You know what? I don’t want to make you feel bad.”

”You know what? I’m sorry that your defense could be better. I’m sorry that you’re not as good as you could be in the goal. I’m sorry that your country hasn’t invested enough systematically into women to give you better coaching, encouragement, belief and motivation.”

”I’ll just bring this ball right to your goal, freak you out, and then kick it aside to my teammate. My teammates and I will just play pass-the-ball to each other on your end of the field until the clock runs out, which could be many minutes from now, which in sports, should normally stretch out into an hour, but because the those wanting women to be polite will be offended for you, we will make this game as unexciting as possible, doing nothing, except passing and dancing around you. And then we might get critizised for teasing you or showing off with our fancy footwork. And we might even get in trouble for not ‘showing up’ and competitively respecting the other team with honest goals.”

Wake Up, Women

You know what? This mentality is real, and is what keeps women down. It is spoken to women by other women and men, and by the most important person: one’s own self. It is what keeps women not growing their business into the successfully streamlined businesses they can be. Small or large businesses. Doesn’t matter. Women are conditioned to step aside and be polite.

When a woman shows aggression, when she shows success over and over again, the haters get jealous. Admit it. You’ve seen business creators in your Instagram, and you may have thought: “When will they stop? When will they give up? When will they stop showing this win with their latest new idea or feature in the media?”

Women’s Self-Sabatoge Mislabeled “Sportsmanship”

Women easily self-sabatoge, opting to pass the ball around the goal, and not score. Even if the scoring is easy. Even if with teammates and conditioned teamwork, the scoring, the executing of good ideas, the satisfaction of completing what is practiced after so many years of long weekends or long nights and Monday holiday work sessions, is successfully completed time and again.

Letting the clock run out and not scoring in a World Cup championship is not what athletes and professional teams do during championships. Letting the clock run out is not how you grow your business. Not scoring is not why you created this business.

Surround yourself with teammates who will condition what you need to get sh*t done. That could be increasing your profits. That could be planning your retirement. This could be growing enough that you actually step away and actually go on vacation. Because honestly, who wants to keep working from the beach? You want to lay out in the sun and play volleyball on the beach, and swim with the dolphins.

Let your business do this for you. Be a winner. Keep scoring. That is why you’re playing.

Analyzing Why This Crafty Story Got Featured In Architectural Digest - An Unusual But Worthy Business For The High End Art Magazine

Pitch what you need to pitch. You think the audience of a certain magazine would love to know about your project? Tell them about it - in a way that puts their readers on the edge of their seats. This month in Architectural Digest, the back page feature, “last word,” features a group of girls ages 7-14 who meet every Friday to work with wood in Murfa, TX. They make things like 3-legged stools and sell them. The proceeds go to their college funds. They are under the direction of the artist Larry Bamburg.

What probably worked in this pitch was to include the following:

- Guidance from an artist.

- The beautiful craftwomanship of the stools.

- The do-good part of this story: saving for their college fund.

- The awesome part of the story - 7-14 year old girls working with machinery.

The heading is called Squad Goals. That could have made for a great subject line as well to hook the editor or writer.

At Tin Shingle, we teach you to be true to yourself, and realize if your business Feature is a fit with the media outlet you desire. If you really really really desire an outlet, but the fit isn’t obvious, find the components in your story that are a fit: in this case artist and beautiful craftwomanship.  Then, the incredibleness of what you really want featured - the girls meeting regularly to make this and save - gets to shine through the story.

If you need help with your pitch to the media, Tin Shingle’s community is here to help. Use our exclusive and super helpful and supportive Pitch Whisperer Forum on our website. Also use our Media Contact Library to find needles in the haystacks of good writers at publications you never would have considered. Gold mines!