Vegetarian Times
Encyclopedia
Vegetarian Times is a monthly magazine published nine times a year (three double issues) by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. The magazine's audience consists of vegetarians and "flexitarians
" who are focused on a healthy lifestyle. Vegetarian Times promotes an eco-friendly
lifestyle with recipes, wellness
information, cooking techniques, and information on "green" products. Half of the readership do not follow a strict vegetarian diet.
In the seventies, the magazine increased in size from 4 pages to 16, to 24 and was published with press runs of 1,000–2,000 copies. By 1977, after around number 19, Vegetarian Times was published bi-monthly and had a readership of 10,000. Overwhelmed with producing and distributing the magazine from his home, Obis sought a publisher and sold an 80% ownership share to New York publisher Associated Business Publications (ABP) in exchange for assuming $6000 in debt and two bags of unopened mail and agreeing to continue the publication.
During the time that ABP owned the magazine, Obis continued on as editor. In 1985 Obis repurchased the magazine from ABP for $276,000. Obis' longtime friend, Fred Rogers (AKA "Mister Rogers") helped finance the deal and became a minority shareholder, while Obis owned the majority. 'Vegetarian Times' grew rapidly under Obis' management: circulation grew from 10,000 to over 250,000 by 1990. In that year, Obis and Rogers sold the magazine to Cowles Media, owner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, for $10 million.
In 2003 Active Interest Media purchased the publication from Cowled Media and relaunched it in November 2004, the 30th anniversary of the magazine, after significant investment and an editorial overhaul. The magazine expanded coverage to appeal not only to strict vegetarians, but people simply looking for a healthy lifestyle and seeking healthy recipes. APB converted the magazine to a monthly publication schedule and increased advertising from nearly nothing to 15 to 20 pages per issue. The circulation grew eightfold and the revenues grew twenty times to over $1 million. Despite the growth, the periodical continued to lose money. In 1985 ABP acquired a new publication and decided Vegetarian Times would not get the staff attention it needed to become profitable. Obis took the opportunity to buy back his magazine and in two years raised circulation to 133,000 and gross revenues to $1.5 million. As of the late 1980s, there were no other head-to-head magazine competitors in the United States.
The magazine has had a number of changes in ownership since Obis purchased the company. In 1990, Cowles Media acquired Vegetarian Times. In 1999, Sabot Publishing near Richmond, Virginia purchased the publication from Primedia in Manhattan, New York who had only owned the magazine for 18 months at the time of its sale. In 2003 the magazine was acquired from Richmond-based Sabot Publishing by Cruz Bay Publishing, a subsidiary of Active Interest Media. In 2007, Elizabeth Turner was named Editor-in-Chief. Prior to joining Vegetarian Times, Turner was the Managing Editor of Natural Health magazine.
In addition to three to four feature articles, each issue may include the following regular departments:
Semi-vegetarianism
Semi-vegetarianism is a term used to describe diets that are vegetarian-based with the inclusion of occasional meat products. The term has no precise or widely accepted definition, but it usually denotes the following of a mainly vegetarian diet whilst eating meat occasionally...
" who are focused on a healthy lifestyle. Vegetarian Times promotes an eco-friendly
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
lifestyle with recipes, wellness
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
information, cooking techniques, and information on "green" products. Half of the readership do not follow a strict vegetarian diet.
History
After unsuccessfully attempting to sell an article he wrote about vegetarianism entitled "Being a Vegetarian Is Never Having to Say You're Sorry -- to a Cow", in 1974 founder Paul Obis put together a four-page handout and called it Vegetarian Times. He made 300 photocopies and from his first issue generated two subscriptions.In the seventies, the magazine increased in size from 4 pages to 16, to 24 and was published with press runs of 1,000–2,000 copies. By 1977, after around number 19, Vegetarian Times was published bi-monthly and had a readership of 10,000. Overwhelmed with producing and distributing the magazine from his home, Obis sought a publisher and sold an 80% ownership share to New York publisher Associated Business Publications (ABP) in exchange for assuming $6000 in debt and two bags of unopened mail and agreeing to continue the publication.
During the time that ABP owned the magazine, Obis continued on as editor. In 1985 Obis repurchased the magazine from ABP for $276,000. Obis' longtime friend, Fred Rogers (AKA "Mister Rogers") helped finance the deal and became a minority shareholder, while Obis owned the majority. 'Vegetarian Times' grew rapidly under Obis' management: circulation grew from 10,000 to over 250,000 by 1990. In that year, Obis and Rogers sold the magazine to Cowles Media, owner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, for $10 million.
In 2003 Active Interest Media purchased the publication from Cowled Media and relaunched it in November 2004, the 30th anniversary of the magazine, after significant investment and an editorial overhaul. The magazine expanded coverage to appeal not only to strict vegetarians, but people simply looking for a healthy lifestyle and seeking healthy recipes. APB converted the magazine to a monthly publication schedule and increased advertising from nearly nothing to 15 to 20 pages per issue. The circulation grew eightfold and the revenues grew twenty times to over $1 million. Despite the growth, the periodical continued to lose money. In 1985 ABP acquired a new publication and decided Vegetarian Times would not get the staff attention it needed to become profitable. Obis took the opportunity to buy back his magazine and in two years raised circulation to 133,000 and gross revenues to $1.5 million. As of the late 1980s, there were no other head-to-head magazine competitors in the United States.
The magazine has had a number of changes in ownership since Obis purchased the company. In 1990, Cowles Media acquired Vegetarian Times. In 1999, Sabot Publishing near Richmond, Virginia purchased the publication from Primedia in Manhattan, New York who had only owned the magazine for 18 months at the time of its sale. In 2003 the magazine was acquired from Richmond-based Sabot Publishing by Cruz Bay Publishing, a subsidiary of Active Interest Media. In 2007, Elizabeth Turner was named Editor-in-Chief. Prior to joining Vegetarian Times, Turner was the Managing Editor of Natural Health magazine.
Contents
As of 2008, Vegetarian Times is only epicurean magazine dedicated to vegetarian cooking and health.In addition to three to four feature articles, each issue may include the following regular departments:
- goods kitchen tools and cookware
- eco-beauty green cosmetics and beauty products
- ask the doc Q&A about medical issues
- healing foods investigation into foods with healing properties
- 30 minutes quick menu ideas
- veg lite healthy recipe collections
- technique cooking how-to advice
- gluten-free pantry ideas for gluten-free lifestyles
- planet home eco-friendly topics
- one on one interviews
Contributors
- James Samuel GordonJames Samuel GordonJames Samuel Gordon is an American author and Harvard-educated psychiatrist, and a world-renowned expert in using mind-body medicine to heal depression, anxiety, and psychological trauma. In 1991, he became Founder and Director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine , a 501 nonprofit educational...
- Suzanne Havala Hobbs
- Anya KamenetzAnya KamenetzAnya Kamenetz is an American writer living in Brooklyn, New York City. She is a staff writer for Fast Company magazine and a columnist for Tribune Media . During 2005 she wrote a column for The Village Voice called "Generation Debt: The New Economics of Being Young"...
- Viktoras KulvinskasViktoras KulvinskasViktoras Peter Kulvinskas M.S. is an American holistic health practitioner, nutritionist, raw foods advocate and author.- Background :After joining Ann Wigmore's Boston based Rising Sun Christianity movement, Kulvinskas co-founded, with Wigmore, the Hippocrates Health Institute, a health resort in...
- Nancy LonsdorfNancy LonsdorfNancy Lonsdorf is an American author and medical doctor who practices Maharishi Ayurveda.-Education:Lonsdorf received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and did her residency training in psychiatry at Stanford University....
- Deborah MadisonDeborah MadisonDeborah Madison is an American chef, writer and cooking teacher. She has been called an expert on vegetarian cooking and her gourmet repertoire showcases fresh garden produce...
Awards & Recognition
- 2009 Maggie Award finalist: Lifestyles & Alternative Lifestyles/Consumer category (Western Publishing Association)
Ancillary publications
In addition to the magazine, Vegetarian Times also periodically publishes special interest publications such as The Vegetarian Beginner's Guide and recipe compilations such as Healing Foods Cookbook: 25 Foods You Need, 75 Recipes You'll Love.External links
- Official website of Vegetarian Times