D Magazine lays off 12% of workforce

Travis Bush, says:

I find it rather amusing that a magazine with more ads than content, starts going down hill. Perhaps this is the price for being so vapid.

Collin Gouldin, says:

I still hope you're still there Tgub.

Collin Gouldin, says:

sorry, its so hard to tell when you see your name flung around everywhere.

Chris Kidd, says:

I thought the only stories in D were ones wick allison told the advertising department to write up about his plastic surgeon friends. Too bad the Bum Steer was already given away for last year, the 2009 winner should be D magazine.

Nancy Nichols, says:

Okay folks, I'm stepping in where I shouldn't but here goes. Yesterday was horrid. We lost some great reporters at Dallas CEO, great designers and production people, and some talented writers. Chris, I don't know what you do for a living, but Wick Allison is being proactive instead of reactive. Travis and Chris, ads in a magazine are a good thing. And I doubt either of you actually read the magazine. If you do, it would be helpful if you were more specific by pointing out a "vapid" editorial article instead of tossing out a generalization. We are a business. We are putting a lot of time, money, and talent towards our website and have been working on it for two years. Once our web team conquers the quirks, I think you will find a valuable web destination for information on Dallas.

Rawlins Gilliland, says:

Nancy Nichols and then Mike Orrens say it well. In a world where the difference between clever banter and roughshod detachment has become more blurred than the Vaseline-d camera lens used to film an over-the-hill yesteryear star, Nichols and Orrens have the perfect Geiger counter to measure reality bites vs. pecks on the cheeky.

God bless everyone at 'D' who were 1) forced to make these beyond-difficult decisions 2) who lost their jobs. 3) feel lost and alone. This was the subject of my commentary last week and clearly turf I know from the inside out. I'd like to share it with all concerned. And those completely and proudly unconcerned as well.
http://publicbroadcasting.net/kera/ne...

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

I went to a job fare yesterday which drove home just how bad things are. The lines were long to get in when I arrived and stayed that way when I left.

Although the few companies that represented at yesterdays event were totally usless for my sitation, I was able to get face time with HR from SMU and she was extremely helpful to me. Now tweaking the resume.

I was laid off at the holidays and have taken the approach to be as productive and proactive as possible during my "sabbatical."

It's going to be an extreme challenge to keep and protect what I have.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

I should have proof read before I posted. DOH!

Chris Kidd, says:

Nancy, no offense to you or the folks laid off, but ive read D recently. Everytime ive picked it up, its always been more and more advertisements than actual reporting. Not that I consider reporting taking pictures of the social events of the season, whos the best looking successful professional women, the best doctors in town or the one-sided park cities-centric tilt ive seen on Dallas issues. Id rather see some real reporting, like how our city leaders are really hosing us on the Trinity Plan, how the DISD cant get it together and are holding us hostage by not holding elections and/or how city hall has become so disfunctional. Like Texas Monthly meets the Dallas Observer, but with less bile.

I'll give you credit on the blogs, as tim and his team are always stepping up to the plate and reporting accordingly.

Travis Bush, says:

Let's see...the latest issue has more than 60 ads and this doesn't include the "interviews" with fashion knobs, which are nothing more than ads for businesses most folks can't afford to shop at, or the plethora of ads for private schools (they have their own section). Shall we talk about the "Aesthetic Beauty Guide" which comes off as 11 pages of insincere infomercial for doctors that only a small part of the population will ever benefit from? All those ads and your magazine is still going to hell in a handbasket? I don't care if D Magazine wants to cater to the pretty "uptown" crowd, but don't pretend otherwise and don't take offense when someone calls you on it.

Chris Kidd, says:

I dont mind fluff, but I can get that from the internet. Maybe they should get rid of the print version of the magazine and go total internet based, only publishing it quarterly

Scott Doyle, says:

I'm not sure what's more insulting: T-Bush's comment or the fact that I have no clue what he's talking about because I never read D.

Sorry, not getting any multipliers on sympathy simply b/c these folks were in media versus any other industry. Understandable from y'all; a bit much to expect it from us.

Concur with chrisdanger's most recent comment...perhaps that's in the cards if they were printed by the <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/mar/01/dallas-based-belo-shut-down-printing-facility-arli/">former Belo facility</a> in Arlington?

Travis Bush, says:

"I'm not sure what's more insulting: T-Bush's comment or the fact that I have no clue what he's talking about because I never read D."

Scott, I'm certain those are not mutually exclusive notions..

Chris Kidd, says:

Fashion Knobs, more like facist knobs IMHO. They reaped what they sewed over at Wick..er..D. I dont feel sorry for them.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

"Facist knobs?"

Eye roll.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

Ok, guys, I have to step in.

I happen to know some of those folks on staff and contributing writers of D/ FrontBurner and in all fairness, and I agree with some of the criticism, the bashing here on Pegs needs to clam down.

D has legitimately covered its subject and met the needs of its target audience since its inception. (Basically: The Hollow, ParkCities and Uptown plus the Outside Curious)

Trying to read more into the rag than has ever been there is a mistake and shouldn't diminish the talent of the writers and staff.

In fact, not long ago I was having a discussion with several of the people mentioned above at Al Biernat's bar and they know that I blog on PN.

They questioned me all about PN and wanted me to compare and contrast both sites. They asked me which site I felt was more popular and how the audience on PN compared. I obliged.

Obviously, and since I post on both sites, I like both FrontBurner and Pegasus News equally. It's like having a husband and lover: both give me something different and I can express more of myself with each.

I have had a real chuckle poking fun at certain people I know over at The Burn- as I call it. Although I have been deleted plenty of times on FB, they are much less tolerant of shenanigans, I still know they like the rest of my commentaries.

Now you can say what you like about Wick A., but I hurt for the people now facing unemployment.

I can only hope we ALL survive this mess.

Travis Bush, says:

"It's like having a husband and lover: both give me something different and I can express more of myself with each."

Thank gawd she can't shoot teh Internets!

Chris Kidd, says:

Bootduck, I think your seniments are ones that we all agree with. I think the mag should go all-online and/or put out a quarterly issue, a Texas Monthy meets Dallas Observer, without the massage ads in the back.

Rawlins Gilliland, says:

<u>A 'D' Magazine / Nancy Nichols etc. Postscript aside. </u>

I've only contributed to 'D' as a writer once...a piece edited for Nancy Nichols last May 2008 on 'Street Food' , covering throughout primarily the southern parts of Dallas the working class and immigrant yadayadas selling food strictly from carts, windows(only--no inside access) and kiosks; NW Dallas, Oak Cliff, Southeast Dallas....even Garland. It may not have been typically 'D' but it still generates to this day emails from Googled whoevers. Case in point, a food editor from the UK contacted me when he read it online. He's meeting me tomorrow for a 'tour'. (I was drinking Scotch when he asked and I promised.) Still another 'street food tour' was one of the raffle prizes last Saturday when I did a fundraising presentation at my elementary alma mater on Henderson Ave., James B. Bonham. I just heard from the 'winner'.

My point, if there is one, is that all publications have their target audience AND a wild card entry here and there. Like Trey Garrison who wrote an expose' of a bad cop who recently was fired again. In the case of my piece, despite 'D' clearly being aimed at the upscale and mainstream Dallas, my piece was devoted to parts of this city most of you never see…and people who work harder than we ever will. Because of Nichols and yes ‘D’, I was able to not only shine a light on those elements of this hometown I love….I was able to positively affect the lives of no few people I profiled.

The guy Paul who sells corn at the Farmer's Market? He said my 'D' piece "Changed my life". The woman Eleadora who has a taqueria near me? (Taqueria La Chiquita, Scyene and Jim Miller) With the avalanche of new biz (‘Anglos in big new cars’) she was able to buy school uniforms and sustain her business that was suffering (when the housing boom busted since her customers were largely workers.)

I know, I know. I am not trying to make any larger point than 'to each his own' and to remember that 1) 'D' is a part of the Dallas fabric 2) people are hurting there as elsewhere 3) losing 'D' will not make anyone's life better.

Now if I could stop this ongoing cottage industry that Street Food piece generated, I would be grateful.

alexander troup, says:

A lot of rags and mags have gone from bitching to wishing they had not had such baaaaad behaviour For 12 years...radio stations are next in the pink... red and blues..........deep velvet blues....A/T, ..Watch your pennies, it is now a bar of copper.

Rawlins Gilliland, says:

Dear BootDuck: I did not set out to 'defend' 'D' or FB alt all but rather to defend the intended purpose of this thread...and I assumed PegasusNews for whom I have written far more than for 'D'.

Mine was the old school of talking about the better half of any whole and not kicking anyone when they are down. And I did so using my real name rather than descend into the kind of post I see above that became personal while remaining anonymous. Where I come from, taking the high road is many times preferable to taking the HOV lane to nowhere.

~~~~~ While many points you toss out might have been worth considering under other circumstances, clearly your agenda is a bit smaller than the larger issue of being civil and relevant to the subject at hand in these trying times of great uncertainty and fear.

I too mourn the loss of Adam McGill who I know and hold in high regard. There are others too I have learned who are now gone were good people. I wish them well as I do you, who remind me once more why I continue to question why I even try to post comments anywher any longer. It's not a level playing field. It's a swamp. But the alligators are invisible. I prefer the beach.

alexander troup, says:

I do recall when D did come out and I hung out at the Stoneleigh P, where the photographers got drunk on their paychecks back in.......19....oh well, times change...get ready for the Big Bopper D..A/T, All about D.

alexander troup, says:

I do recall when D did come out and I hung out at the Stoneleigh P, where the photographers got drunk on their paychecks back in.......19....oh well, times change...get ready for the Big Bopper D..A/T, All about D.

Nancy Nichols, says:

Wow. I would have let this wacky mess go except you had to go and bring up my birds. What in the world is wrong with photographing and writing about birds in Dallas? Why is everyone so freakin' serious all the time? There are a lot of great nature stories going on in Dallas. I report that. The controversial Trinity River Corridor? D not only <a href="http://www.dmagazine.com/2007/10/15/The_Trinity_War.aspx"> reported the politics surrounding the project,</a> we produced <a href="http://www.dmagazine.com/2007/09/17/Great_Trinity_Forest_to_Change_the_Way_We_Regard_Dallas.aspx"> an entire magazine </a> devoted to the pros and cons, good, bad, and the uglies of the total project. If only one tenth of it becomes a reality, a whole lot of bird-lovin' and nature loving people will be traveling to Dallas.

Travis--a little publishing business lesson: most magazine advertising is purchased a year ahead of time. Chances are the ads you count in current issues were paid for earlier in the economic year. We are putting a lot of effort into the web. Nobody knows what the future of print pubs are--for that matter reading. Books, newspapers, toilet paper--they're all in danger. People don't read as much. But if you are looking for reporting on Dallas, you might find <a href="http://www.dmagazine.com/2009/02/23/The_Last_Temptation_of_Craig_Watkins.aspx">this an interesting read.</a>

Travis Bush, says:

I saw that in the latest issue and have not gotten around to reading it. Thanks for the link. We will just have to settle for differing opinions on the magazine as a whole, and that's alright by me.

Nancy Nichols, says:

Travis, D has been a city magazine for 35 years. By definition, that means we are service-oriented.

Agree to disagree is fine by me. But “vapid”? We are not vapid. D was the first local print pub to hit the Internet with additional editorial content and we continue to invest in reporting the future--hence, our new sports blog, <a href="http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/">InsideCorner</a> written by nationally recognized, award-winning reporters. Thanks for listening and I am not being sarcastic. (What is in that pipe?)

Travis Bush, says:

Ha! Not a pipe..

Let's ask some questions... What do you think the average citizen in Dallas would say about the majority of content to be found in your magazine? Does it have meaning for their everyday lives? And if the same question were asked about the things I mentioned earlier that ones finds in evach issue of your magazine?

Maybe these can't be answered without bias, but if the answer is that a large majority of your content is not meaningful to the lives of every day Dallasites, then by definition, vapid is a correct description. Perhaps your web presence is changing some of that for the better.

Jason Rice, says:

Hey! It affects me very directly. I had no idea Don had found a day job. I bet he'd look good in overpriced stuff.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

@BootDuck: obviously you are not the target audience for this magazine.

If you can't relate then I don't get why you care enough even to comment.

I'd like to see you op on something you do like... and *you'd* probably enjoy yourself so much the better.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

While we're at it might as well add Paper City and Lux to the line up!

Can't get enough of the Who's Who and party scene!!!

Jason Rice, says:

See - that looks good in slacks the price of a Honda.

Jason Rice, says:

BootDuck - I take it you don't have tickets to the symphony either. So should we burn Stradivarii?

alexander troup, says:

No, dont burn Stradivarii....take a match too old King Tut,....he floped and D did not do much to tell that story ...A/T, Will the real D stand up...

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

I miss having season tickets for the DSO! And If I ever caught any of trying to destroy a Strad I'b beat you to death with my Louboutin!!!!

Btw, if you haven't really paid attention to FrontBurner, you have missed out on some real discussion of the country's financial situation and comments from some of the most successful entrepreneurs business owners in Dallas.

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

Oppsss, that should have read "entrepreneurs and business owners."

Jason Rice, says:

@BootDuck

Not being as avid a follower of D as you apparently have been, I wasn't aware of their propensity for schadenfreude.

From my tiny perch I always saw them from the arts perspective - sure, drawn to the high dollar glitzy art projects that meant little to me directly, but ultimately more interested in the success of culture than its demise. Getting listed with them was a small miracle but a very meaningful and beneficial one.

So when did your subscription run out?

Travis Bush, says:

"Most of the folks commenting here (and on most of Peg) are too clever for their own good."

O'RLY? There is nothing particularly clever about asking for less pretense in regards to pretense.

Travis Bush, says:

That's it! I'm heading over to DCAD and search for jtmbls..

Jason Rice, says:

Lemme help

650 S RL Thornton Freeway, Dallas, TX‎

Travis Bush, says:

More like 1818 N. Westmoreland..

Jason Rice, says:

1818 Westmoreland - 10 points

Looks almost like Peg, really http://www.dallascityhall.com/code_co...

All the cute little avatars in need of a good home

Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:

Why don't we all head to the Old Monk and join our D staffers in drinking while the Titanic sinks.

Cheers!

Travis Bush, says:

I agree, Jason needs work on teh jokes..

Rawlins Gilliland, says:

Loved Jason's earlier rhetorical question re: the 'D' subscription.
Postscript? Ever noticed how those who do the least are the one's who posture the loudest?

<u><i>Case pointed to one of our ‘too clever’ contributors who I believe lives in my childhood part of Dallas:</i></u>

I grew up off Henderson Ave. / Belmont. I moved north of Pleasant Grove into a very working class hood 25 years ago. But on Feb. 28th I did a fundraising (for tutoring poor performers and teacher supplies) stage presentation at my childhood alma mater grade school, James B. Bonham Elementary on Henderson Ave. ('bout half-way between Old Monk and Louie's.) We raised a few thou @$10 a head. On a Saturday in this economy. In a neighborhood I grew up in but in which I could not now afford to live.

I'm no 'Mother Theresa'. Nor am I a pontificating anonymous cyber troll.

Rawlins Gilliland, says:

PS: The K-3rd grade student profile at DISD's 85 yr. old James B. Bonham Elementary is 98% Latino and very low income. They have been rated 'Exemplary' for 6 years running while nonetheless losing enrollment as the neighborhood becomes more upscale. Anyone wishing to volunteer /contribute in classrooms can call or send any amount check however small to:

Bonham Boosters 2617 N Henderson Ave Dallas, TX 75206 (972) 749-5700

Travis Bush, says:

Correct..Jason does not equal a funny Travis..not even half of one really...

alexander troup, says:

It is time D Just died and became a women in the next life....A/T, dallas d.n.a.....wont be d...anymore.