Jet magazine to stop printing weekly, change to digital app

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago-based Johnson Publishing announced Wednesday that by the end of June, Jet magazine will no longer be available in print.
Since 1951, Jet magazine has served as a weekly news digest for African Americans, documenting everything from high society events to the civil rights movement.

"It's a very difficult decision that keeps the brand alive and brings us closer to consumers on the next level of how you tell a story," said Desiree Rogers, CEO of Johnson Publishing Company.

In recent years, Jet went from being published once a week to once every three weeks. But Rogers said the digital app is the best way to keep up with trends in the industry, and it will enable Jet to once again be a weekly magazine

It will also be more interactive, as readers will be able to look at video clips. One possible interactive feature is a 360 degree view of the Jet "Beauty of the Week."

"Readers are demanding that we pay attention and we meet them where they are," Rogers said

"You always feel some nostalgia when something is changing, but I understand the need to move on," said Dr. Carol Adams, president of the DuSable Museum.

Adams said this transition to a digital format may be a challenge for Jet's older readers who may not be as tech savvy. But she said the change should not be thought of as an end of an era, but a new beginning.

"We wouldn't expect an African American publication to remain in the dark ages while everybody else progressed and moved to the next level," Adams said.

As for Ebony magazine, Rogers said the publication will remain in print, as there are no plans to convert it to a digital format.