Oprah Magazine is ‘evolving’ — not ending, publisher says. Readers still say goodbye
After 20 years on store shelves, Oprah Winfrey’s “O” magazine will cease to publish its monthly print editions — kind of.
Hearst, which publishes the popular lifestyle magazine, said the brand won’t disappear completely, a company spokeswoman told McClatchy News. Rather, it will become more “digitally centric” with “some form of print” after the December 2020 issue.
“Yes it is going to be more digital focused, but the print is not entirely going away — just evolving,” the spokeswoman said.
In a statement, Hearst called the decision a “natural next step for the brand,” which has an online readership of more than 8 million.
Fans objected, however, after initial reports that Hearst was kicking “O’s” print edition to the curb, with the final issues hitting shelves at the end of the year.
Though the future of “O” magazine is “still being worked out,” many on social media said they’re sad to see it go.
“Nooooo! Not my O!!!” celebrity blogger Perez Hilton wrote on Twitter.
“If there was one mag I thought could ride out the downsizing of print it was Oprah’s,” wrote another. “This is just another tally for the end of print.”
One woman said she was especially upset by the “O” mag news “mostly because books coverage and support to writers was so important.”
Despite readers’ reactions, Winfrey, who launched “O” with Hearst in 2000 and serves as the publication’s editorial director, said she is excited for what’s next. Staff reportedly learned of the decision Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I’m proud of this team and what we have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years,” Winfrey, 66, said in a statement provided by Hearst. “I look forward to the next step in our evolution.”
The media mogul has since landed a new talk series on Apple+ that will discuss race issues in the U.S. The first episode of the series will premiere July 30, according to O Magazine.
The show will be filmed remotely from Winfrey’s home as she leads, “timely and intimate discussions with today’s foremost newsmakers, thought leaders, and masters of their craft,” the magazine reported. “Bringing truth and perspective to a range of topics shaping our world, they reveal gripping stories of human connection.”
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 6:45 PM.