Time Inc. has stopped publishing its Cottage Living magazine. The November/December issue, on newsstands now, is its last.
Cottage Living had a total circulation of 1,016,077 as of June 30 — 16% over its rate base of 1 million. The magazine launched in September 2004 with a rate base of 500,000, increasing to 650,000 in January 2005, 900,000 the next year, and 1 million by January 2007. Readers were largely female (84%), with a median household income of $80,155 and median age of 48, per MRI Spring 2008.
“The economic downturn has particularly affected the shelter market, and, while the brand was genuinely loved by readers and advertisers alike, the economy inhibited its ability to grow, and therefore, sadly, we had to make the decision to close it,” said Sylvia Auton, a Time Inc. EVP overseeing the Lifestyle Group, in a statement.
The company is notifying all Cottage Living subscribers of the closing via mail, and Time Inc. will assign them other shelter titles, such as Southern Living, Real Simple and Coastal Living through the rest of their subscription time. Subscribers also will have the option to request a different Time Inc. magazine or a refund.
Time Inc. executives have said they will keep the Cottage Living brand alive in other shelter titles, but exact plans are not yet finalized. Cottageliving.com also will be shut down, although the site was still up as of press time.
A number of changes have rocked Time Inc. since the company announced a massive overhaul at the end of October, which included plans to cut 600 jobs and restructure the company. While other titles have seen budgets and employees trimmed, Cottage Living is the first full shuttering to come after the announcement.
