An American Icon Shifts: JET Magazine Final Print Issue ~ Emerald Quill

Jun 8, 2014

An American Icon Shifts: JET Magazine Final Print Issue

6/08/2014 Celestine Green No comments

JET Magazine has been a staple among African-American readers for 63 years.

Johnson Publishing announced last month that JET magazine will be ending all print publications and instead will shift to an all-digital format. The magazine’s last print issue celebrates the publication’s most iconic covers since it was founded in 1951 as the only text visible reads: “An American Icon.” Inside, JET has created a retrospective of the news covered since 1951.

JET, the third-largest circulation magazine in the African-American market,with a circulation of more than 700,000, will transition to a digital-only format. Last summer, Jet went through a major redesign, with more service-oriented stories, bigger photos, more graphics and a new website. But the changes were not enough to keep the print product cost effective. As part of its new initiative, the magazine plans to expand its coverage of issues and stories in the black community on a digital platform. Their new mission includes re-designing their online website to include videos, social media sharing ability, short documentaries and more.

A new paid subscription app is set to launch on June 30 and will allow users to download a weekly digital magazine filled with new and original content.

Lastly, Ebony — the sister publication to JET — will team up with the magazine to launch an e-commerce store where specific merchandise will be available for purchase.

On a personal basis, I've read JET magazine since I was about nine years old. I saw the July 31, 1952 cover of Hollywood sex kitten Eartha Kitt and the March 10, 1955 cover of Dorothy Dandridge, as well as the article exploring her chances for winning an "OSCAR". In 1962, I met Martin Luther King in JET Magazine and read about his journey from "Pulpit to Politics".

JET's January 14, 1971 issue featured its cover of Flip Wilson as "the Host of TVs Hottest New Show". Marvin Gay was featured as "Inner City's Musical Poet" on February 1, 1973; Pam Grier in August 1973 was acclaimed for "Finding Fame in Black Movie Films"; and Richard Pryor had a "Sensational New TV Show" announced in the September 1977 issue of JET.

JET Magazine introduced Shirley Chisholm's bid for U. S. President in 1972 and featured Huey P. Newton on the May cover of that year with a "Special Report on the Black Panthers" inside. In 2012, JET had Director Spike Lee pitching "There is Nothing Cute About Being Ignorant". ( Maybe they could run that article again.) Barack Obama made the cover of JET on December 12, 2012. Entertainment news, politics, world coverage...JET did it all with the Black community in mind.

The issue I'll never forget ran in 1955 with the story of 14 year old Emmett Till. The boy was dragged from his uncle's house, tortured and killed because he may have flirted with a white woman. In respect to Till's mother's wishes, the badly mutulated body was shown in the magazine. It was horrible to see, but showed me the results of prejudice and hate.

I look forward to renewing my acquaintance with JET in its new digital format and expect the same level of quality news coverage.