Shock Magazine
Add one more mag to the R.I.P. list for 2006: Hachette Filipacchi's Shock, which the company announced today is closing, with this next and final issue being February, on newsstands Dec. 26, 2006. Like Ellegirl and TeenPeople before it, though, it will live on on the web at ShockU.com, which sounds like the kind of university Van Wilder might attend. "[A]fter six months in the marketplace, Shock's performance at newsstands has not produced trends that indicate that we will get the returns that we are looking for," said Hachette president and CEO Jack Kliger in a statement released by the company today. "On the other hand, the web site has shown real energy and connection with this young demographic and the 41 page-views-per-visitor-session is one of the highest for web sites at Hachette."
Shock was based on French photography magazine Choq, but failed to translate; indeed, the most press it ever received came from a controversy involving the unauthorized use of a cover photo taken in Iraq by photographer Michael Yon.
Kliger also singled out EIC Mike Hammer* for praise and thanks; no word if he will be maintaining the new/old website.
Update: Here's a more detailed report from Nat Ives at AdAge.
Update to the Update: We've updated our graphic with the latest and final cover of Shock, sent out just this morning by EIC Hammer with his media advisory, asking friends for "whatever input, thoughts, cash, women, you can spare so that we can get a gauge on what about us you absolutely adore the most!" Ouch, but there's more: "Please give it a look and pass it on to your friends, family and known criminal associates. We want to make as many people aware of the new issue as possible." This guy clearly was not expecting the ax to fall, and certainly not the Thursday before Christmas. Nice work there, Hachette. Grinch.
Update to the update's update: Hammer's media advisory contained a whole bunch of page spreads from Shock, including this one of a walrus marooned on a lone piece of ice, which actually is shocking and literally made us gasp. Small version at right; full size after the jump; more pages from the February (and final) issue of Shock here.
*No relation to Stacy Keach. Hey, we are always up for a Stacy Keach joke. You know you liked him in Mistral's Daughter. Yeah, we're talkin' to you, Remnick.
