Chicago (magazine)
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''Chicago'' is a monthly magazine published by
Tribune Publishing Tribune Publishing Company (briefly Tronc, Inc.) is an American newspaper print and online media publishing company. The company, which was acquired by Alden Global Capital in May 2021, has a portfolio that includes the ''Chicago Tribune'', the ...
. It concentrates on lifestyle and human interest stories, and on reviewing restaurants, travel, fashion, and theatre from or nearby
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. Its circulation in 2004 was 165,000, larger than ''
People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' in its market. Also in 2004, it received the
National Magazine Award The National Magazine Awards, also known as the Ellie Awards, honor print and digital publications that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative techniques, noteworthy enterprise and imaginative design. Or ...
for General Excellence. It is a member of the
City and Regional Magazine Association A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
(CRMA).


History

In the second half of the 20th century, several magazines bore the name ''Chicago'' magazine. The current one also has the longest history. It was established in 1952 as the monthly ''WFMT Guide'' and was founded as the programming guide for the classical radio station
WFMT WFMT is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a format of fine arts, classical music programming, and shows exploring such genres as folk. The station is managed by Window to the World Communications, Inc., owner of WTTW, Chicago ...
. Starting in October 1970, the ''WFMT Guide'' began accepting paid advertising. The ''WFMT Guide'' changed its name to ''Chicago Guide'' with the December 1970 issue and became a full-sized magazine. Two other magazines titled ''Chicago magazine'' existed between the 1950s and the 1970s. One, published by founding editor Maurice English, published from 1954 until 1957 or 1958. The other version was a quarterly magazine that was published by the New Chicago Foundation from 1964 until 1973 and had Richard P. Frisbie as its editor, from 1971 until 1973. (Starting in late 1973, the formerly New Chicago Foundation-published ''Chicago'' magazine changed its name to the ''Chicagoan'', and was published by the husband-and-wife duo of Jon Anderson and
Abra Prentice Wilkin Abra Prentice Wilkin (born July 30, 1942) is an American philanthropist. She is the daughter of John Rockefeller Prentice (1902–1972) and his wife, Abbie Cantrill Prentice. Wilkin is a great-granddaughter of Standard Oil tycoon John D. Rocke ...
, had Richard Christiansen as its editor for a time, and hit the newsstands with its new name and format in September 1973. The ''Chicagoan'' was sold to National Textbook Company and S. William Pattis in the spring of 1974 and Pattis turned around and sold the ''Chicagoan'' to the ''Chicago Guide'' in September 1974. The circulation of the two magazines was combined with the November 1974 issue of the ''Chicago Guide''.) ''Chicago Guide'' magazine was renamed ''Chicago'' magazine at the start of 1975.) In 1981, ''Chicago'' introduced the
Nelson Algren Nelson Algren (born Nelson Ahlgren Abraham; March 28, 1909 – May 9, 1981) was an American writer. His 1949 novel ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' won the National Book Award and was adapted as the 1955 film of the same name. Algren articulated ...
Award, a short story contest that the magazine later abandoned before it was picked up by the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' newspaper. In December 1986, Chicago Educational Television Association, which had owned WFMT and
WTTW WTTW (channel 11) is a PBS member television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Owned by not-for-profit broadcaster Window to the World Communications, Inc., it is sister to commercial classical music radio station WFMT (98.7 FM). The ...
, announced that it would sell the magazine for $17 million to a joint venture formed by Metropolitan Detroit Magazine and
Adams Communications Stephen Adams (born 1937) is an American businessman, private equity investor, and philanthropist. His current holdings include Good Sam Enterprises, a national publishing, retail stores, and member-based direct marketing organization directed to ...
. The deal closed in January 1987.
Landmark Communications Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC (a spinoff of Landmark Communications, Inc.) is a privately held media company headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia specializing in newspaper publishing, Internet publishing and software. History Norfolk Newspape ...
bought the magazine in 1990.
Primedia Primedia is a South African media group, headquartered in Sandton, Johannesburg. History Primedia was established in 1994 and its listing on the JSE Securities Exchange was completed in April 1995. Primedia remained listed on the JSE until 1 O ...
bought the magazine in 1995. Tribune bought the magazine from Primedia in 2002. ''Chicago'' magazine has announced that it plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020.


Staff

''Chicago'' magazine's first editor was Allen Kelson, who previously had been named editor-in-chief of
WFMT Guide WFMT is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a format of fine arts, classical music programming, and shows exploring such genres as folk. The station is managed by Window to the World Communications, Inc., owner of WTTW, Chicago ...
in 1968. Kelson later became editor-in-chief, and then publisher. In 1984, Don Gold, the former managing editor of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' magazine, became the magazine's editorial director, in a new position created between editor-in-chief Allen Kelson and editor John Fink. From 1986 until 1991, Hillel Levin served as the magazine's editor. He left in early 1991 to join other investors in buying a Miami-based and Caribbean media group. Levin was succeeded by Richard Babcock, who up to that point had been assistant managing editor of
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...
's '' New York'' magazine. In April 2009, the magazine laid off longtime literary editor Christine Newman. In December 2009, it was announced that longtime ''Chicago'' restaurant critic Dennis Ray Wheaton would be leaving his position and that Jeff Ruby would replace him. In April 2011, Richard Babcock stepped down as ''Chicago''′s editor after exactly 20 years in the job. In August 2011, the magazine named Beth Fenner to replace Babcock. In December 2011, ''Chicago'' magazine's managing editor, Shane Tritsch, resigned after 18 years with the magazine after he was passed over for the top editorial post there. In 2012, longtime ''Chicago'' magazine senior writer Marcia Froelke Coburn left ''Chicago'' magazine to join ''
Time Out Chicago ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 328 cities in 58 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition beca ...
'' as a contributing writer. Also in 2012, longtime ''Chicago'' magazine senior editor Nora O'Donnell left the magazine to join ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' magazine in southern California as senior editor and research chief. In March 2014, ''Chicago'' magazine's No. 2 editor, Cassie Walker Burke, left the magazine to join ''
Crain's Chicago Business ''Crain's Chicago Business'' is a weekly business newspaper in Chicago, IL. It is owned by Detroit-based Crain Communications, a privately held publishing company with more than 30 magazines, including ''Advertising Age'', ''Modern Healthcare'' ...
'' as an assistant managing editor. In November 2015, ''Chicago'' magazine's award-winning features editor, David Bernstein, took a buyout and left the company. In March 2016, the magazine's editor, Beth Fenner, was fired after more than four years, and the magazine's publisher, Tom Conradi, also was removed from his post. In their places, Susanna Homan was named editor and publisher. In October 2017, the magazine's longtime dining editor, Penny Pollack, retired.


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago 1952 establishments in Illinois Lifestyle magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States City guides Entertainment magazines published in the United States Local interest magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1952 Magazines published in Chicago Tribune Publishing