Entertainment Weekly
On the 16th of February 1990, a new magazine hit newsstands in New York City. Jeff Jarvis and Michael Klingensmith had just created Entertainment Weekly as a sister publication to People. The first issue promised readers a consumer guide to popular culture rather than just celebrity gossip. It covered movies, music, books, and even video games with a critical eye. Time Inc. spent $150 million developing this venture before its launch. By the end of 1996, the magazine turned a six-figure profit after years of patience from its owners. In its peak years, it generated $55 million in annual profit for the parent company.
In 1996, Entertainment Weekly won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence from the American Society of Magazine Editors. The magazine claimed that same prestigious award again in 2002. Henry Goldblatt served as editor until JD Heyman took over his role in September 2016. That leadership change resulted in about fifteen staff members being cut from the payroll. Patrick Gomez stepped into the editor-in-chief and general manager role in May 2022 following the shift to digital-only publishing. Bruce Gersh led the Meredith entertainment division which included both EW and People during these transitions.
Beginning with the August 2019 issue, Entertainment Weekly transitioned to a monthly issue model. The final print issue appeared in April 2022 before the publication ceased all physical printing on February 9th of that year. Print advertising shrank significantly while celebrity coverage exploded across other platforms. Meredith considered selling the title after completing its $2.8 billion acquisition of Time Inc. but decided to keep it because it was so intertwined with People. On the 2nd of August 2021, the Greek edition launched making Greece the first country outside the United States to receive the magazine. The site now operates as a digital-only platform producing weekly digital covers and podcasts.
Entertainment Weekly grades reviews using an academic-style letter system ranging from A to F. This approach differs from European magazines that typically use star ratings out of four or five stars. Chris Nashawaty serves as the primary film critic for the Movies section. Two films received the rare A+ rating: Citizen Kane and My Left Foot from 1989. Lisa Schwarzbaum left the magazine in 2013 while Owen Gleiberman departed after layoffs in spring 2014. The section called Critical Mass began publishing scores from Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb in 2015. The Theater section reviews productions currently playing by listing them according to their city.
The thousandth issue arrived on the 4th of July 2008 featuring a top-100 list spanning twenty-five years of entertainment history. Bart Simpson won the Entertainer of the Year title in 1990 while Jodie Foster took the honor in 1991. Steven Spielberg was named Entertainer of the Year in 1993 and Tom Hanks followed in 1994. The cast of Friends held the title in 1995 before Rosie O'Donnell claimed it in 1996. Ellen DeGeneres won in 1997 and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998. Starting in 2017, the publication awarded between ten and sixteen honorees as Entertainers of the Year instead of just one.
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Common questions
When was Entertainment Weekly first published?
Entertainment Weekly hit newsstands on the 16th of February 1990 in New York City. Jeff Jarvis and Michael Klingensmith created the magazine as a sister publication to People.
Who founded Entertainment Weekly and what was its initial purpose?
Jeff Jarvis and Michael Klingensmith founded Entertainment Weekly to provide a consumer guide to popular culture rather than just celebrity gossip. The magazine covered movies, music, books, and video games with a critical eye from its inception.
What happened to Entertainment Weekly print publishing in 2022?
The final print issue appeared in April 2022 before the publication ceased all physical printing on February 9th of that year. Patrick Gomez stepped into the editor-in-chief role following the shift to digital-only publishing in May 2022.
Which films received an A+ rating from Entertainment Weekly?
Two films received the rare A+ rating: Citizen Kane and My Left Foot from 1989. Chris Nashawaty serves as the primary film critic for the Movies section where these reviews appear.
When did Entertainment Weekly transition to monthly issues and which country launched a Greek edition?
Beginning with the August 2019 issue, Entertainment Weekly transitioned to a monthly issue model. On the 2nd of August 2021, the Greek edition launched making Greece the first country outside the United States to receive the magazine.