16 magazine
Encyclopedia
16 Magazine was a fan magazine
based out of New York City
. It was the first magazine marketed to adolescents that focused exclusively on celebrities. 16 Magazine is sometimes credited by those in the publishing and entertainment industries as a primary influence in shaping rock journalism
.
on the cover. It was published quarterly. The cost was 15 cents an issue. The magazine was, initially, edited by men writing under female pseudonyms, and it closely followed the style of more traditional movie magazines such as Photoplay
.
However, its longtime editor in chief, former fashion model and subscriptions clerk, Gloria Stavers
, transformed the magazine from a standard general interest movie magazine into a major fan magazine that focused on the pre-teen female as its primary readerbase. Stavers was the editor in chief from 1958 until 1975. She chose to cater to that particular demographic because of the many fan letters she had read from girls aged nine through 12 who were writing to popular celebrities in care of the magazine. She remembered how she felt at that age,http://weeklywire.com/ww/06-14-99/austin_music_feature1.html and she developed a formula as to how to increase the readership of the magazine within that demographic.
-laden headlines such as "The Day He Almost DIED!", head shots of various male actors and singers, and very whimsical artwork. Although the newsprint type of paper was used for the articles, the magazine did feature colorful, glossy pin-up poster art. Many pre-teens purchased 16 Magazine primarily for the posters, rather than the articles, and those posters often helped to bolster, and in some cases hinder, the careers of many teen idols
.
Prior to the 1970s, most of the pin-ups of the celebrities were kept clean cut, but the magazine began to increasingly sexualize the posters they featured, in keeping with the more permissive times. 16 Magazine also often offered contests that would give the winning person an opportunity to have a "meet and greet" with their favorite performer.
Most of the articles and features tended to lean on the lighter side. Rather than asking the artist serious questions about musical influences and social issues
, it would offer the readers interviews asking a celebrity about his favorite color or meal, or would have him describe his "ideal girl" or dream date. If the celebrity was married, in a long term relationship or was not heterosexual in orientation, that information was kept out of the magazine, as was any news about the celebrity that even hinted at scandal.
However, there were times when 16 Magazine did push the envelope in its content, such as when Stavers published an obituary for her friend, the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce
. She also attempted to expand the perception of teen idols by featuring such unlikely candidates as Star Trek
actor Leonard Nimoy
and shock rock
pioneer Alice Cooper
.
In 1997, in honor of its 40th year of publication, former 16 Magazine editors Randi Reisfeld and music critic Danny Fields
published the commemorative book "Who's Your Fave Rave?". It is a history of the magazine, and a biography
on its long-time editor in chief. It was styled to resemble an issue of the magazine. There was also an accompanying CD of the same name, featuring many of the pop acts promoted in the magazine throughout the years.
and other celebrity magazines, 16 remained the top selling teen celebrity magazine for many years. They accomplished this feat without accepting any outside advertising. Even without advertising revenue, at the height of its popularity, 16 Magazine had more than 5,000,000 readers.
For at least 30 years of publishing, 16 Magazine was entirely self-supporting. The "no advertisements" policy changed when 16 Magazine was acquired by Primedia
in the 1990s. In 2001, 16 became part of their Teen Magazines groups and is considered a monthly "specials" issue focusing on a specific topic or act.
Despite this, no regular or special issue of 16 Magazine was seen or published since—not even a website. By this time, newer teen magazines had taken over, such as J14, M Magazine, Popstar! Magazine, and the "resurrected" Tiger Beat
.
, Paul Anka
, Dion
, and Mousketeer Annette Funicello
.
, Herman's Hermits
, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Monkees
, Jim Morrison
, and The Doors
. The appearance of the "faves" was highly selective. Some acts such as The Rolling Stones
received very little coverage in 16 Magazine in comparison to other bands, and many of the popular Motown acts were virtually ignored.
), David Cassidy
, Bobby Sherman
, The Bay City Rollers, Rick Springfield
, Jack Wild
, Kiss
and other performers. With the exception of The Jackson 5
and Sajid Khan
, racial minorities were seldom featured on the covers. The appearance of female celebrities on its covers was also rare, but from time to time, a female star such as Maureen McCormick
, or Karen Carpenter
might write the occasional beauty or dating advice column for the magazine.
" after another, from New Wave
artists like Duran Duran
to N'Sync. However, Destiny's Child
broke the racial and gender
barrier when they appeared on the cover.
Fan magazine
A fan magazine is a commercially written and published magazine intended for the amusement of fans of the popular culture subject matter which it covers. It is distinguished from a scholarly or literary magazine on the one hand, by the target audience of its contents, and from a fanzine on the...
based out of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was the first magazine marketed to adolescents that focused exclusively on celebrities. 16 Magazine is sometimes credited by those in the publishing and entertainment industries as a primary influence in shaping rock journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
Origins
Founded in 1956, the first issue hit the newsstands in May 1957, with Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
on the cover. It was published quarterly. The cost was 15 cents an issue. The magazine was, initially, edited by men writing under female pseudonyms, and it closely followed the style of more traditional movie magazines such as Photoplay
Photoplay
Photoplay was one of the first American film fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded a similar magazine entitled Motion Picture Story...
.
However, its longtime editor in chief, former fashion model and subscriptions clerk, Gloria Stavers
Gloria Stavers
Gloria Stavers was the editor in chief of 16 Magazine. Her personality gave this teen celebrity magazine its stamp for many years....
, transformed the magazine from a standard general interest movie magazine into a major fan magazine that focused on the pre-teen female as its primary readerbase. Stavers was the editor in chief from 1958 until 1975. She chose to cater to that particular demographic because of the many fan letters she had read from girls aged nine through 12 who were writing to popular celebrities in care of the magazine. She remembered how she felt at that age,http://weeklywire.com/ww/06-14-99/austin_music_feature1.html and she developed a formula as to how to increase the readership of the magazine within that demographic.
Content
The magazine covers attracted readers by featuring sensational and hyperboleHyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally....
-laden headlines such as "The Day He Almost DIED!", head shots of various male actors and singers, and very whimsical artwork. Although the newsprint type of paper was used for the articles, the magazine did feature colorful, glossy pin-up poster art. Many pre-teens purchased 16 Magazine primarily for the posters, rather than the articles, and those posters often helped to bolster, and in some cases hinder, the careers of many teen idols
Teen Idols
The Teen Idols were a pop punk band originally from Nashville, Tennessee. They were formed in 1992 by Phillip Hill and originally broke up in 2003...
.
Prior to the 1970s, most of the pin-ups of the celebrities were kept clean cut, but the magazine began to increasingly sexualize the posters they featured, in keeping with the more permissive times. 16 Magazine also often offered contests that would give the winning person an opportunity to have a "meet and greet" with their favorite performer.
Most of the articles and features tended to lean on the lighter side. Rather than asking the artist serious questions about musical influences and social issues
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
, it would offer the readers interviews asking a celebrity about his favorite color or meal, or would have him describe his "ideal girl" or dream date. If the celebrity was married, in a long term relationship or was not heterosexual in orientation, that information was kept out of the magazine, as was any news about the celebrity that even hinted at scandal.
However, there were times when 16 Magazine did push the envelope in its content, such as when Stavers published an obituary for her friend, the controversial comedian Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce
Leonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
. She also attempted to expand the perception of teen idols by featuring such unlikely candidates as Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
actor Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
and shock rock
Shock rock
Shock rock is an umbrella term for artists who combine rock music with elements of theatrical shock value in live performances.-History:Screamin' Jay Hawkins was arguably the first shock rocker...
pioneer Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
.
In 1997, in honor of its 40th year of publication, former 16 Magazine editors Randi Reisfeld and music critic Danny Fields
Danny Fields
Danny Fields is an American journalist and author. As a music-industry executive in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, he was one of the most influential figures in the underground and punk rock scenes.- Early life :...
published the commemorative book "Who's Your Fave Rave?". It is a history of the magazine, and a biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
on its long-time editor in chief. It was styled to resemble an issue of the magazine. There was also an accompanying CD of the same name, featuring many of the pop acts promoted in the magazine throughout the years.
No advertising policy
Despite the lack of serious journalistic content and fierce competition from Tiger BeatTiger Beat
Tiger Beat is an American fan magazine marketed primarily to adolescent girls. It is currently published by Laufer Media, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, which also produces its sister publication, Bop....
and other celebrity magazines, 16 remained the top selling teen celebrity magazine for many years. They accomplished this feat without accepting any outside advertising. Even without advertising revenue, at the height of its popularity, 16 Magazine had more than 5,000,000 readers.
For at least 30 years of publishing, 16 Magazine was entirely self-supporting. The "no advertisements" policy changed when 16 Magazine was acquired by Primedia
Primedia
PRIMEDIA Inc. is privately held American media company fully owned by TPG Capital.Consumer Source Inc. is the sole operating division of PRIMEDIA and helps millions of consumers find apartments, houses for rent, and new homes for sale through its Internet, mobile, and print products...
in the 1990s. In 2001, 16 became part of their Teen Magazines groups and is considered a monthly "specials" issue focusing on a specific topic or act.
Despite this, no regular or special issue of 16 Magazine was seen or published since—not even a website. By this time, newer teen magazines had taken over, such as J14, M Magazine, Popstar! Magazine, and the "resurrected" Tiger Beat
Tiger Beat
Tiger Beat is an American fan magazine marketed primarily to adolescent girls. It is currently published by Laufer Media, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, which also produces its sister publication, Bop....
.
1950s
In the 1950s, some of the teen idols featured in the pages of 16 Magazine included Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
, Dion
Dion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
, and Mousketeer Annette Funicello
Annette Funicello
Annette Joanne Funicello is an American singer and actress. She was Walt Disney's most popular cast member of the original Mickey Mouse Club, and went on to appear in a series of beach party films.-Early life and early stardom:...
.
1960s
During the 1960s, 16 Magazine introduced its readers to a variety of rock and roll/pop music acts, referred to by the editor and readers as "Faves". Some of those acts include The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
, and The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. The appearance of the "faves" was highly selective. Some acts such as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
received very little coverage in 16 Magazine in comparison to other bands, and many of the popular Motown acts were virtually ignored.
1970s
In the 1970s, the magazine began focusing its attention primarily on bubblegum and pop acts, such as the Osmond Brothers (with particular emphasis on Donny OsmondDonny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
), David Cassidy
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
, Bobby Sherman
Bobby Sherman
Robert Cabot "Bobby" Sherman, Jr. , is an American singer, actor and occasional songwriter, who became a popular teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s.He graduated in 1961 from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, California...
, The Bay City Rollers, Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971 and then started his solo career with his début single "Speak to the Sky" reaching the top 10 in Australia. In mid-1972, he relocated to the United States...
, Jack Wild
Jack Wild
Jack Wild was a British actor who is best remembered for his performances in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! with Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, and Oliver Reed. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16 for the role of the...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and other performers. With the exception of The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
and Sajid Khan
Sajid Khan
Sajid Khan is a former Indian actor. He is the adopted son of Indian film producer Mehboob Khan, founder of Mehboob Studios, in India.-Career:...
, racial minorities were seldom featured on the covers. The appearance of female celebrities on its covers was also rare, but from time to time, a female star such as Maureen McCormick
Maureen McCormick
Maureen Denise McCormick is an American actress, celebrity and recording artist. She is most widely known as a child actress who played Marcia Brady in the television series The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974.- Early life and career :...
, or Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter
Karen Anne Carpenter was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard, formed the 1970s duo The Carpenters. She was a drummer of exceptional skill, but she is best remembered for her vocal performances of idealistic romantic ballads of true love...
might write the occasional beauty or dating advice column for the magazine.
1980s and Beyond
During the 1980s and well into the 1990s, the magazine continued to serve up one "boy bandBoy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
" after another, from New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
artists like Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
to N'Sync. However, Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
broke the racial and gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
barrier when they appeared on the cover.
External links
- Rockcritics.com article about 16 Magazine and how it was viewed in the industry: