‘Radar’ Mag Folds Again

Via New York and the Observer and Gawker, Radar magazine is closing. For a third time. In the comments on said Gawker post, (former Gawker editor and current RadarOnline contributing editor) Choire Sicha alludes to having already heard the news, noting, “I sure wish I worked at the office because I'd steal everything that wasn't nailed down.” His Twitter page more or less notes the same: “Wow. I actually hung up on a source since I wouldn't have anywhere to publish the story!” Reporter Neel Shah also commented that the staff is even being prevented from writing the traditional farewell post.

Bad signs indeed—the top story at RadarOnline, as of this writing, is a pairing of astrology with the financial meltdown. Since the news broke, nothing else’s been posted to the site. Also, they still owe me $100 from an interview I sold to them back in July, but everyone knows that owing freelancers long overdue money is actually the sign of a functional magazine, so I guess that one’s moot.

Everyone at Radar has been relatively tight-lipped on what’s happening, but the release from tabloid/health publisher American Media Inc —who has purchased Radar website—is unclear regarding the fate of current RadarOnline staff:

(October 24, 2008, New York, New York) – American Media Inc. (AMI) today announced they are partnering with Integrity Multimedia Company in creating a new company, Radar Online LLC. Integrity Multimedia will make a multi-million dollar investment in RadarOnline.com to launch it as the ultimate destination for breaking celebrity news and cutting edge pop culture.

RadarOnline.com will be supported by the AMI news organization and its network of hundreds of newsgatherers and thousands of sources. In addition, the Radar Online site will also have its own staff of editors, reporters, photographers and videographers .

In the first of many announcements to be forthcoming, American Media Inc. Chairman and CEO David Pecker said that David Perel, Executive Vice President of AMI News, will leave that position to become managing editor of RadarOnline. At AMI, Mr. Perel was responsible for breaking many of the biggest celebrity stories of the past two decades.

Mr. Pecker commented, “The AMI newsgathering team that David Perel has at his disposal for the new site is unmatched in the celebrity market, as is the access we have to past, present and future pop culture milestones. Our message is simple - if it’s on your radar, it’s on Radar Online, and if it’s not on your radar, we’ll put it there.”

Integrity Multimedia Company Chairman Yusef Jackson added “By teaming with AMI, we will build on what we have already established with Radar while at the same time accelerating the potential for our return on investment. It is a win/win for both partners.”

Plans call for RadarOnline.com to launch a redesigned site in the early part of 2009.

We’re sad for many a friend of BlackBook at Radar, and wish them all the best in future endeavors. Meanwhile, everyone else everywhere—like you, me, everyone, yeah, everyone, now—should be getting back to work. The closing of Radar might not be anything new, but when Spring Awakening gets toppled, you know you’re in some shit.