What Will It Take to Save Magazines? Rihanna's Boobs Aren't Enough.

No need for the Goddess to prattle on about the end of the Digital Decade that changed, um, everything. That newsbit is in every Top 10 countdown worth a darn. If tomorrow is the end of the digital decade, what else is it the end of?

I think of sad little Gourmet magazine, 1941-2009, to put a face on the evolution of mag media. Identified by publisher Condé Nast as the weakest link, Gourmet went poof! with the November issue. Parenting mag Cookie, Elegant Bride and Modern Bride also bit the dust, but with much less fanfare.

Condé Nast CEO Chuck Townsend told CNN in an email that the changes were made "to navigate the company through the economic downturn and to position us to take advantage of coming opportunities."

Good spin begins with a gram of truth, kiddies. Remember that.

Mr. Townsend states honestly that the shuttering of 4 magazines will help CN through the economic downturn. Radio legend Paul Harvey would join me in telling "the rest of the story":

Fat magazines that rely on sizzlingly fantastic color photography and advertisers who think there's no better outlet to reach gourmands and brides-to-be were moved into the hospice unit years ago.

To put it another way, Gourmet had almost 1 million subscribers and it still died.

NOTE: Gourmet.com is still accessible with a nice 'thank you' to supporters that directs anyone wanting to buy past issues to the online Condé Nast store. The most expensive item there? "Gourmet Magazine:The Final Year Collection." Tacky.

Earlier today I was part of a fairly deep discussion about whether smokin' hot, 21-year-old Rihanna made a good career move by posing topless in the January 2010 issue of GQ. The most thought-provoking comment -- to me, anyway -- was this comment by a gay friend:

"I haven't bought a GQ since they started putting women on the cover. And without gay men, that mag would fold tomorow. It's a man's magazine! I mean, Vogue doesn't put men on its cover. Why? Because it's for women!"

OK, first, this is America. Hetero men will buy almost anything if there's big boobs involved in any way, shape or form. It's a rule. It may even be in the Constitution.

Second, as a straight female, the Goddess admits to not giving a heck of a lot of thought about the sexual preferences of magazine readers. Surprisingly enough, there are people who think about exactly that.

2006 was the first year that Experian Simmons (then called Simmons Market Research Bureau) asked media consumers about their sexual orientation. DNR, a now defunct men's mag formerly published by, you guessed it, Condé Nast, publicized the study's results. Gawker summed it up best: "GQ is the gayest magazine ever."

GQ reported 10.39% of male readers being gay or bisexual; EW (Entertainment Weekly) was a close second.

Who knew?

Well, I guess GQ knew because recent covers have alternated from Clint Eastwood to an unbuttoned January Jones and a bikini-clad Olivia Wilde. The most universally appealing cover may have been in September 2009. Michael Jackson offered a little something for everyone.