Glamour shots of movies stars have donned the covers of Orange Coast magazine for more than 30 years. That’s just one of the things that’s changing.
The Newport Beach-based lifestyle magazine has spent the past year giving itself a makeover under new parent Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications Corp., which bought the publication last year from former publisher Ruth Ko.
Emmis also owns Los Angeles magazine, other publications and radio stations.
A new president, publisher and editor have spearheaded changes at Orange Coast, including adding editorial staff and salespeople, revamping the magazine’s logo and format and getting a new printer.
“Emmis wasn’t happy with the editorial content as it existed,” said Martin Smith, editor-in-chief. “For a long time the whole identity of the magazine was (pegged) by celebrities. That will change.”
The moves come as Orange County’s two other lifestyle magazines are undergoing their own management face-lifts.
Riviera magazine in Costa Mesa recently got a new publisher. And Chris Schulz, head of Coast magazine and other titles at Irvine-based Freedom Communications Inc., is leaving.
He took a job as president of Malibu-based CurtCo Publishing’s Gulfshore Media division, which includes Gulfshore Life and Sarasota Magazine. Schulz is moving to Florida for the job.
Freedom is seeking a replacement.
The changes are playing out against a slow economy that has curtailed advertising for homes, contractors and furnishings, a mainstay of lifestyle magazines.
It’s making things more competitive.
Jeff Ditmire, Orange Coast president, said his magazine is seeing home furnishing advertisers “pulling back.”
Orange Coast hopes its new look, which debuts in July, will generate more interest for current advertisers and lure more accounts, Ditmire said.
The magazine is trying to go after more real estate and automotive advertisers,two key categories,with new editorial coverage, Ditmire said.
It’s starting an auto column that highlights the county’s passion for fancy cars.
It’s geared toward auto enthusiasts and hopefully will attract dealers and automakers that sell luxury vehicles, Ditmire said.
Orange Coast recently promoted one of its sales executives to go after more local and national auto advertisers, he said.
The magazine also is debuting a real estate column that highlights home architecture, Ditmire said.
Big Change
Perhaps the most visible change set for Orange Coast: moving away from stars on its covers.
It’s what readers want, Ditmire said.
Emmis found that out by conducting studies last year through research firm Monroe Mendelsohn Research Inc.
Editor Smith, who came on board last fall, is spearheading the editorial changes.
Shortly after Smith came on, executive editor Tina Borgatta left for Newport Beach-based Churm Media’s OC Metro Business magazine.
Since, the entire staff has been revamped.
There’s a new art director, senior editor for style, production and online director, copy editor, associate art director and writers.
Orange Coast also is looking for a senior editor for features, a new position, Smith said.
“There was a fair amount of turnover,” Smith said. “It’s not turnover I predicted or wanted but we dealt with it.”
Smith, who came from Los Angeles Times magazine, worked for Orange Coast from 1994 to 1998.
The magazine has been “completely rethought from beginning to end: new features, new approach to dining, new crop of writers, new masthead and Web site. Everything,” Smith said. “Emmis has a very high level of expectations and we’re expected to fall in line.”
As for celebrities, Martin said they’ll “be part of the mix” occasionally. But they’ll need to have “local relevance,” he said.
Orange Coast also found a new printer. Los Alamitos-based Trend Offset Printing Services Inc. is taking on the printing of the magazine from an out-of-state printer. The magazine will be slightly smaller in size, Ditmire said.
Orange Coast hopes all the changes will help differentiate it from competitors.
“First I want to attract more paid subscribers and news stand sales,” Ditmire said. “After we do that, the advertisers will come.”
