Star (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Star is an American celebrity
tabloid magazine.
in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers parent company American Media Inc. (Murdoch now owns the New York Post
, which, although it has more of a regional, news-centered focus, still has significant celebrity coverage.)
Originally an unstapled, inexpensive, supermarket tabloid printed on newsprint
, Star was hugely successful but remained in the shadow of its longer-established stablemate. Along with the Enquirer its circulation declined with the advent of celebrity-driven television shows such as Entertainment Tonight
and Hard Copy
.
In 1999, AMI was bought by investors fronted by David Pecker, who personally pledged that Star would never relocate to Florida, the home state of all the country's other tabloids. However, it took Pecker less than a year to renege on his promise and Star was moved into AMI's headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida
, sharing the building with the Enquirer and AMI's other recently acquired titles Globe
, National Examiner
, and Sun
. Editor Phil Bunton was replaced before the move when he angered Pecker by telling the New York Post
: "It's going to be open warfare. How we're going to all work together I don't know. It's like having the Bosnians
, Croats
, the Jews
and Arabs all together in the same area." Virtually all Stars staff of experienced tabloid journalists refused to make the move south. Four years later, Pecker appointed former Us Weekly
editor Bonnie Fuller
to oversee the paper and, at her demand, he moved it back to New York in the summer of 2003.
At the beginning of 2004, Star gained new life by switching to a more traditional magazine format, with a higher grade of paper and, denying its tabloid roots, put itself into competition with a new breed of entertainment magazine typified by Fuller's former publication, Wenner Media's Us Weekly
, and the German-owned magazine publisher Bauer's In Touch Weekly
. However, its page layout remains tabloid-derived, with sections including "Worst of the Week," which points out the most amusing celebrity fashion disasters of the previous week, and "Knifestyles of the Rich and Famous" section, which illustrates suspected incidences of plastic surgery
with before-and-after photos.
As of 2010, Star Magazine sells for $3.49 per issue with reduced rate subscriptions varying from 26-52 issues.
With the advent of the internet, gossip is now widespread on an instant basis, from one place in the world to another what used to take a long time to filter through is now instant. Online gossip magazines are impacting the sales of traditional supermarket tabloids.
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
tabloid magazine.
History
Star was founded by Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers parent company American Media Inc. (Murdoch now owns the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, which, although it has more of a regional, news-centered focus, still has significant celebrity coverage.)
Originally an unstapled, inexpensive, supermarket tabloid printed on newsprint
Newsprint
Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications and advertising material. It usually has an off-white cast and distinctive feel. It is designed for use in printing presses that employ a long web of paper rather than individual sheets of...
, Star was hugely successful but remained in the shadow of its longer-established stablemate. Along with the Enquirer its circulation declined with the advent of celebrity-driven television shows such as Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
and Hard Copy
Hard Copy
Hard Copy is an American tabloid news television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. Hard Copy was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence....
.
In 1999, AMI was bought by investors fronted by David Pecker, who personally pledged that Star would never relocate to Florida, the home state of all the country's other tabloids. However, it took Pecker less than a year to renege on his promise and Star was moved into AMI's headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, sharing the building with the Enquirer and AMI's other recently acquired titles Globe
The Globe (tabloid)
Globe is a supermarket tabloid first published North America on November 10, 1954 in Montreal, Canada as Midnight by Joe Azaria and John Vader and became the chief competitor to the National Enquirer during the 1960s. In 1978 it changed its name to the Midnight Globe after its publisher, Globe...
, National Examiner
National Examiner
The National Examiner is a supermarket tabloid owned by the American Media Corporation. Like other tabloids, its contents have often come under question, and it has been derided for its sensationalistic writing....
, and Sun
Sun (supermarket tabloid)
Sun is a supermarket tabloid owned by American Media Inc.Its contents have often come under question and has been widely regarded as "sensationalistic writing." Since a 1992 invasion of privacy case, a small-print disclaimer printed beneath the masthead has warned readers to "suspend belief for the...
. Editor Phil Bunton was replaced before the move when he angered Pecker by telling the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
: "It's going to be open warfare. How we're going to all work together I don't know. It's like having the Bosnians
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
, Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and Arabs all together in the same area." Virtually all Stars staff of experienced tabloid journalists refused to make the move south. Four years later, Pecker appointed former Us Weekly
Us Weekly
Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
editor Bonnie Fuller
Bonnie Fuller
Bonnie Fuller is a Canadian media executive and the editor of HollywoodLife.com. Fuller has been responsible for several magazine titles, including as Vice President and Chief Editorial Director of American Media .She was editor of Flare magazine, YM magazine, the...
to oversee the paper and, at her demand, he moved it back to New York in the summer of 2003.
At the beginning of 2004, Star gained new life by switching to a more traditional magazine format, with a higher grade of paper and, denying its tabloid roots, put itself into competition with a new breed of entertainment magazine typified by Fuller's former publication, Wenner Media's Us Weekly
Us Weekly
Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
, and the German-owned magazine publisher Bauer's In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly is an American celebrity gossip magazine. The magazine is focused on celebrity news, fashion, beauty, relationships and lifestyle, and is geared towards a younger readership, billing itself as "fast and fun", along with making claims about their lower cover price on their front...
. However, its page layout remains tabloid-derived, with sections including "Worst of the Week," which points out the most amusing celebrity fashion disasters of the previous week, and "Knifestyles of the Rich and Famous" section, which illustrates suspected incidences of plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
with before-and-after photos.
As of 2010, Star Magazine sells for $3.49 per issue with reduced rate subscriptions varying from 26-52 issues.
With the advent of the internet, gossip is now widespread on an instant basis, from one place in the world to another what used to take a long time to filter through is now instant. Online gossip magazines are impacting the sales of traditional supermarket tabloids.