Transworld Skateboarding
Encyclopedia
Transworld SKATEboarding is a skateboarding
magazine
, website
, and production company.
Founded in 1983, TWS was a response to Thrasher Magazine and specifically to the December 1982 article ‘Skate and Destroy’ written by C.R. Stecyk III
under the pen name ‘Lowboy’, and the February 1983 advertisement for Independent Trucks
that featured a topless model with Independent decals on her breasts.
The first issue of TWS contained the article ‘Skate and Create’ and its author Peggy Cozens noted ‘I have become increasingly concerned about a new skate attitude being pushed on skaters: Skate and Destroy’ (Cozens, 1983, p. 13). The article went on to highlight the positive and creative side of skating. The stance of the magazine remained positive (Weyland, 2002) to the extent that Thrasher owner Fausto Vitello
wrote ‘They were about Skate and Create; we were about Skate and Destroy.’ (NHS, 2004, p. 17).
The magazine recruited David Carson
as art director in 1984 and he remained with TWS until 1988 and gave the magazine a distinctive look. This period also featured the photographic work of J. Grant Brittain and Spike Jonze
, and editorial contributions by professional skateboarders such as Lance Mountain
, Tony Hawk
, Neil Blender, Steve Berra
, Marty 'Jinx' Jimenez, Garry Scott Davis, and Mark Gonzales
.
The magazine was sold to Times Mirror
in 1997 and in 2000 became a part of AOL Time Warner
. In late 2001 the magazine was famously packaged with an AOL software disc which prompted the editorial note the following month that stated ‘Sorry for the poly-bagged edition with the 1,000 hours of free Internet access from AOL. We here at the magazine didn't even find out about the atrocity until (the magazines) made it into the office. We feel just as violated as you’ (Union-Tribune, 2003).
Internal tensions between the magazine staff and owners AOL Time Warner prompted a walkout of several key editorial members including J Grant Britain, Dave Swift and Atiba Jefferson to form The Skateboard Mag
in 2003 (ibid).
The magazine and website Skateboarding.com are currently headed by Skin Phillips (Editor in Chief/Photo Editor), Eric Stricker (Editor), and Carleton Curtis (Managing Editor). The print edition continues to boast a 60%+ market share in the skateboarding category and is the largest skateboarding magazine in the world (Audit Bureau of Circulations), with a satellite edition TRANSWORLD SKATEboarding Japan.
On September 12, 2006, Time Inc.
announced the sale of Time4 Media, comprising eighteen print magazines, including the TRANSWORLD group of titles. Golf and This Old House
were not included in the sale; both magazines were folded into the Time Inc. stable. The rationale for the sale was that these magazines "no longer fit into Time Inc.'s publishing strategy" http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003120844. The eighteen Time4 properties were eventually sold on January 25, 2007 to the Bonnier Corporation—a 200-year-old Sweden-based media and entertainment company with approximately $2.9 billion in annual revenue http://www.bonnier.com/6515.aspx. Time Inc will officially transfer ownership on March 1, 2007 http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1582185,00.html. The estimated price was US$ 225 million in cash and the assumption of about US$ 42 million in unfulfilled subscription liabilities (subscriptions already paid but not yet delivered.) http://www.nypost.com/seven/01262007/business/bonnier_coughed_up_225m_to_time_business_keith_j__kelly.htm
In addition, Transworld Skateboarding has also released a number of videos that are independent of the series:
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, and production company.
Founded in 1983, TWS was a response to Thrasher Magazine and specifically to the December 1982 article ‘Skate and Destroy’ written by C.R. Stecyk III
C. R. Stecyk, III
C.R. Stecyk III is a Southern California native. His life was portrayed in the 2001 award-winning documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, as well as the film Lords of Dogtown in 2005....
under the pen name ‘Lowboy’, and the February 1983 advertisement for Independent Trucks
Independent Truck company
Independent Truck Company is a skateboard truck manufacturer based in Santa Cruz, California established in 1978, owned by NHS, Inc. The trucks are manufactured by Ermico Enterprises, Inc...
that featured a topless model with Independent decals on her breasts.
History
TRANSWORLD began publishing under the ownership of Larry Balma, owner of Tracker Trucks, and Peggy Cozens. Initially, the publishing and editorial team were known as the ‘United Skate Front’. Balma later spoke of the magazine’s beginnings as a reaction to Thrasher, saying ‘They were pretty harsh, sex and drugs and using four-letter words and all that and in the early '80s, the sport started growing and (Thrasher) wasn't the best magazine for young kids’ (Union-Tribune, 2003).The first issue of TWS contained the article ‘Skate and Create’ and its author Peggy Cozens noted ‘I have become increasingly concerned about a new skate attitude being pushed on skaters: Skate and Destroy’ (Cozens, 1983, p. 13). The article went on to highlight the positive and creative side of skating. The stance of the magazine remained positive (Weyland, 2002) to the extent that Thrasher owner Fausto Vitello
Fausto Vitello
Fausto Vitello was an American businessman and magazine publisher. Vitello is the creator of Thrasher magazine and co-creator of Independent trucks.-Early life:...
wrote ‘They were about Skate and Create; we were about Skate and Destroy.’ (NHS, 2004, p. 17).
The magazine recruited David Carson
David Carson (graphic designer)
David Carson is an American graphic designer. He is best known for his innovative magazine design, and use of experimental typography. He was the art director for the magazine Ray Gun. Carson was perhaps the most influential graphic designer of the 1990s...
as art director in 1984 and he remained with TWS until 1988 and gave the magazine a distinctive look. This period also featured the photographic work of J. Grant Brittain and Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television...
, and editorial contributions by professional skateboarders such as Lance Mountain
Lance Mountain
Robert Lance Mountain was one of the more popular skateboarders throughout much of the 1980s, and one of the five most legendary members of the Bones Brigade, as featured in the 1987 classic The Search For Animal Chin .Mountain was born in Pasadena, California...
, Tony Hawk
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank "Tony" Hawk , nicknamed "The Birdman" is an American retired professional skateboarder and actor. Hawk gained significant fame for completing the first 900 as well as his licensed video game titles distributed by Activision...
, Neil Blender, Steve Berra
Steve Berra
-Career:Steve Berra began his skateboarding career in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 14. In 1989, Steve Berra met skating legend Tony Hawk in Nebraska. The two forged a friendship over their love for all things skateboarding. At the age of 18,Berra quit his affiliation with Blockhead to turn pro for...
, Marty 'Jinx' Jimenez, Garry Scott Davis, and Mark Gonzales
Mark Gonzales
Mark Gonzales , also known as "Gonz" and "The Gonz," is an American professional skateboarder and artist. He is known in the skateboarding world as a pioneer of modern street skateboarding, currently skateboarding's most popular form....
.
The magazine was sold to Times Mirror
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
in 1997 and in 2000 became a part of AOL Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
. In late 2001 the magazine was famously packaged with an AOL software disc which prompted the editorial note the following month that stated ‘Sorry for the poly-bagged edition with the 1,000 hours of free Internet access from AOL. We here at the magazine didn't even find out about the atrocity until (the magazines) made it into the office. We feel just as violated as you’ (Union-Tribune, 2003).
Internal tensions between the magazine staff and owners AOL Time Warner prompted a walkout of several key editorial members including J Grant Britain, Dave Swift and Atiba Jefferson to form The Skateboard Mag
The Skateboard Mag
The Skateboard Mag is an independently published skateboarding magazine. Internal tensions between the Transworld Skateboarding magazine staff and owners AOL Time Warner prompted a walkout of several key editorial members, including J Grant Britain, Dave Swift and Atiba Jefferson, to form The...
in 2003 (ibid).
The magazine and website Skateboarding.com are currently headed by Skin Phillips (Editor in Chief/Photo Editor), Eric Stricker (Editor), and Carleton Curtis (Managing Editor). The print edition continues to boast a 60%+ market share in the skateboarding category and is the largest skateboarding magazine in the world (Audit Bureau of Circulations), with a satellite edition TRANSWORLD SKATEboarding Japan.
On September 12, 2006, Time Inc.
Time Inc.
Time Inc. is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner, the company formed by the 1990 merger of the original Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It publishes 130 magazines, most notably its namesake, Time...
announced the sale of Time4 Media, comprising eighteen print magazines, including the TRANSWORLD group of titles. Golf and This Old House
This Old House
This Old House is an American home improvement magazine and television series aired on the American television station Public Broadcasting Service which follows remodeling projects of houses over a number of weeks.-Overview:...
were not included in the sale; both magazines were folded into the Time Inc. stable. The rationale for the sale was that these magazines "no longer fit into Time Inc.'s publishing strategy" http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003120844. The eighteen Time4 properties were eventually sold on January 25, 2007 to the Bonnier Corporation—a 200-year-old Sweden-based media and entertainment company with approximately $2.9 billion in annual revenue http://www.bonnier.com/6515.aspx. Time Inc will officially transfer ownership on March 1, 2007 http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1582185,00.html. The estimated price was US$ 225 million in cash and the assumption of about US$ 42 million in unfulfilled subscription liabilities (subscriptions already paid but not yet delivered.) http://www.nypost.com/seven/01262007/business/bonnier_coughed_up_225m_to_time_business_keith_j__kelly.htm
Videos
The magazine has released a series of skateboarding videos. In chronological order:- Uno (1996)
- 4 Wheel Drive (1996)
- Greatest Hits (1997)
- Cinematographer(1997)
- Interface (1997)
- The Sixth Sense (1998)
- Transmission 7 (1999)
- Feedback (1999)
- The Reason (1999)
- Modus Operandi (2000)
- i.e. (2000)
- Sight Unseen (2001)
- In Bloom (2002)
- Free Your Mind (2003)
- Are You Alright? (2003)
- Subtleties (2004)
- First Love (2005)
- A Time To Shine (2006)
- Let's Do This! (2007)
- And Now (2008)
- Right Foot Forward (2009)
- Hallelujah (2010)
- Not Another Transworld Video (2011)
In addition, Transworld Skateboarding has also released a number of videos that are independent of the series:
- Anthology (2000)
- Videoradio (2002)
- Show Me the Way (2004)
- Trick Tips
- Starting Point 1, 2, & 3
- The Dreams of Children (1994)