Founding and Growth of Wired Magazine
– Wired was founded in 1993 by Louis Rossetto, Jane Metcalfe, Ian Charles Stewart, with initial backing from Charlie Jackson and Nicholas Negroponte.
– The magazine debuted at the Macworld conference in January 1993 and won National Magazine Awards for General Excellence and Design in its first four years.
– Wired quickly gained recognition as the voice of the emerging digital culture and launched spin-offs in the UK, Italy, Japan, and Germany.
– Wired News, the online counterpart, was later acquired by Condé Nast in 2006.
– The magazine introduced concepts such as crowdsourcing and the long tail in new media business models.
Influence and Recognition of Wired Magazine
– Wired had a strong influence on digital technology and its impact on society.
– The magazine won several National Magazine Awards for both editorial and design.
– In 2021, Adweek named Wired as its Magazine of the Decade.
– Wired published deep investigative reporting, including a highly-read article on Facebook’s impact on society.
Ownership Changes and Financial Challenges
– Wired magazine and Wired News had separate owners from 1998 to 2006.
– Wired Ventures attempted to go public in 1998 but was unsuccessful.
– Financial investors Providence Equity Partners gained control of Wired Ventures in 1998 and sold it to Advance Publications.
– Wired magazine was assigned to Condé Nast Publications, while Wired Digital was purchased by Lycos.
Impact on Media and Culture
– Wired was known for its coverage of emerging technologies and their effects on culture, the economy, and politics.
– The magazine published influential articles on various topics, including the Zippies, Apple’s NeXT acquisition, and the dot-com bubble.
– Wired’s website, HotWired, spawned popular websites like Webmonkey and HotBot.
– The magazine’s cover designs were iconic and often reflected the cultural and technological zeitgeist.
– Wired was among the first magazines to list the email addresses of its authors and contributors.
Evolution and Digital Strategy of Wired Magazine
– Wired expanded globally with the launch of international editions in 2009.
– The magazine embraced a digital-first strategy, focusing on online content and engagement.
– Wired has a paywall to monetize its digital content and has successfully used social media platforms to reach and engage with its audience.
– The magazine has launched a video channel and partnered with Conde Nast Entertainment for digital content production.
– Wired has undergone leadership changes and has organized events like Wired Nextfest to showcase cutting-edge technologies and innovations.Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_(magazine)
