Macfadden Communications Group is a publisher of business magazines. It has a historical link with a company started in 1898 by Bernarr Macfadden that was one of the largest magazine publishers of the twentieth century.

History

Macfadden Publications

''Physical Culture'', Bernarr Macfadden's first magazine, was based on Macfadden's interest in

bodybuilding Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...

. The launch of '' True Story'' in 1919 made the company very successful. Other well-known magazines, such as ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film (another name for ''photoplay'') fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded '' Motion Picture Story,'' a magazine also directed at fans. For mo ...

'' and ''

True Detective ''True Detective'' is an American anthology crime drama television series created and written by Nic Pizzolatto. The series, broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States, premiered on January 12, 2014. Each season of the ...

'', soon followed. Macfadden also launched the tabloid '' New York Evening Graphic''. Bernarr Macfadden withdrew from his leadership roles with the company in 1941.

Macfadden/Bartell

In 1961, the Bartell Broadcasting Corporation bought a controlling share in Macfadden and merged with the company, forming Macfadden/Bartell. Bartell owned

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New York, WOKY

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

, and KCBQ

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

. A share in Bartell was acquired by

Downe Communications Downe Communications was a publishing company founded by Edward Downe, Jr. that produced several popular magazines and provided subscription fulfillment services from 1967 to 1978. Downe was a trained journalist who worked at newspapers before bec ...

in 1967, with full control in 1969. Between 1969 and 1974 Downe was acquired by Charter Company. Bartell was fully acquired by Downe in 1976, and Downe was fully acquired by Charter in 1978. Downe purchased the newspaper supplement ''

Family Weekly ''USA Weekend'' was an American weekend newspaper magazine owned by the Gannett Company. Structured as a sister publication to Gannett's flagship newspaper ''USA Today'' and distributed in the Sunday editions of participating local newspapers, i ...

'' in 1966, and the ''

Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In ...

'' and '' The American Home'' from the Curtis Publishing Company in 1968.

Macfadden Group

Macfadden's women's magazines were spun off in 1975, and sold to the unit president, Peter J. Callahan. These magazines were: * ''True Story'' * ''Photoplay'' * ''TV-Radio Mirror'' * ''True Confessions'' * ''Motion Picture'' * ''True Romance'' * ''True Experience'' * ''True Love'' '' Us'' was purchased in 1980, and sold in 1986. In the mid-eighties, Macfadden bought the Ideal Publishing Company, which published ''

Teen Beat ''Teen Beat'' is an American magazine geared towards teenaged readers, published from 1967–c. 2007. Over its history, the magazine had multiple teen idols on its cover, including John Travolta, David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Menudo, Michael J ...

'' and other fan magazines, from Filmways. MacFadden acquired a stake in what would become American Media in 1989 when it bought a stake in the ''

National Enquirer The ''National Enquirer'' is an American tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1926, the newspaper has undergone a number of changes over the years. The ''National Enquirer'' openly acknowledges that it pays sources for tips, a common practice in t ...

''.

Sterling/Macfadden

In 1991, the Macfadden consumer magazines were spun off and merged with Sterling's Magazines. Sterling's published fan magazines such as '' Tiger Beat'', as well as the music magazine '' Metal Edge''. The merger was finalized in October 1992. In 1998, the conglomerate's line of youth music publications was sold off to Primedia; the rest were bought by Dorchester Media in 2004.

Teen Magazines

*'' Right On! '' *''

'' *'' 16 Magazine'' *'' Tiger Beat'' *'' Teen''

Macfadden Holdings

The trade magazines '' Chief Executive'' and ''Discount Merchandiser'', as well as the company's stake in American Media, remained a separate company. American Media was sold in 1999 to the investment group Evercore Partners. The Macfadden trade titles were sold to VNU the same year.

Present day

The executives of Macfadden Business Communications started a new company using the Macfadden name. It is a publisher of business-to-business magazines.

Historical publications

Magazines

*''Physical Culture'' *'' True Story'' (1919–2004) *''Brain Power'' (1922–24) (also titled ''National Pictorial Brain Power Magazine'') *''True Experiences'' (1922- *''True Romances'' (1923- *''Love and Romance'' (1923- *''Muscle Builder'' (1924- *''

'' (1924–1971) *''Master Detective'' (1930- *''Famous Detective Cases'' *''True Love'' *''True Love Stories'' (1924- *''True Marriage Stories'' (1924- *''Modern Marriage'' *''Own Your Own Home'' *''Your Faith'' *''Your Home'' *''Dream World'' (also titled ''Dream World: Love and Romance'') *''Ghost Stories'' (1926–32) (under Harold Hersey's control 1930-32) *'' Macfadden's Fiction Lovers' Magazine'' *''Midnight'' (also titled ''Midnight Mysteries'') *''The Dance Magazine'' *''Climax: Exciting Stories for Men'' *''

'' (1934–1980) *''Secrets'' (1936- *''Personal Romances'' (1937- *''Movie Mirror'' *''Radio Mirror'' ( -1948) *''Saga: Adventure Stories for Men'' (195x-198x) *''

TV Radio Mirror Macfadden Communications Group is a publisher of business magazines. It has a historical link with a company started in 1898 by Bernarr Macfadden that was one of the largest magazine publishers of the twentieth century. History Macfadden Publ ...

'' (1949–1977) *'' True Confessions'' (1963–1992) *''

Motion Picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

'' (1911–1977) *''

Sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

'' (1946–1975) *''Intimate Stories'' (1948- *''Revealing Romances'' (1949- *'' Pageant'' (1961–1977) *''

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

'' (1931–1950) *''Home Furnishings News'' (2006-2014) also known as ''HFN'' *'' Dance Magazine'' (2001-2016) *''Dance Spirit'' (2006-2016)Lifestyle Media Inc. merged with Macfadden Dance Magazine, LLC
*''Dance Teacher'' (2006-2016) *'' Pointe'' (2006-2016) *''Dance Retailer News'' (2006-2016) *''Grocery Headquarters'' (2004-2017)

Newspapers

*''

New York Graphic The ''New York Evening Graphic'' (not to be confused with the earlier ''Daily Graphic)'' was a Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published from 1924 to 1932 by Bernarr Macfadden. Exploitative and mendacious in its short life, the ''Gr ...

'' (1924–1932) *''

Philadelphia Daily News ''Philadelphia Daily News'' is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper is owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC, which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. The ''Da ...

'' (1925–1932) *''Detroit Daily'' *'' Detroit Mirror'' (? – 1931)

Teck Publishing Corporation (1931–1938)

*'' Amazing Stories'' *'' Radio News'' *''Wild West Stories & Complete Novel Magazine''

Bartholomew House imprint

Macfadden also published a few hardcover books through the years, under the

imprint Imprint or imprinting may refer to: Entertainment * ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series * "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror'' * ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film ...

Bartholomew House. Initially a way to group together stories from Macfadden's magazines into a book (as in ''Great Western Heroes'', ''Great Pioneer Heroes''), the imprint expanded into first editions of new material after the purchase by the Bartell Group ('' Coffee, Tea or Me?'', ''"Say ... Didn’t You Used to Be George Murphy?"''). * 1950 - ''Magic Cook Book; the Key to Kitchen Economy, prepared by the Food Editors of True Story Magazine'' * 1957 - ''Great Western Heroes; Six True Stories of the Men Who Tamed the West'', edited by Rafer Brent * 1958 - ''Great Pioneer Heroes; True Stories of the Men Who Made America'', edited by Rafer Brent * 1967 - '' Coffee, Tea or Me? The Uninhibited Memoirs of Two Airline Stewardesses'' by Trudy Baker and Rachel Jones (in reality Donald Bain) * 1968 - ''The CanniBal$: a Novel About Television's Savage Chieftains'' by

Keefe Brasselle Keefe Brasselle (born Henry Keefe Brasselle February 7, 1923 – July 7, 1981) was an American film actor, television actor/producer and author. He is best remembered for the starring role in ''The Eddie Cantor Story'' (1953). Early years an ...

* 1969 - ''Mannequin: My Life as a Model'' by Carolyn Kenmore (ghost written by William Dufty) * 1970 - ''"Say ... Didn’t You Used to Be George Murphy?"'' by George Murphy (with Victor Lasky)

Current publications

*''Pet Business'' (purchased in 2000)

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.macfad.com
The True Story of Bernarr Macfadden
Magazine publishing companies of the United States Privately held companies based in New York (state) Companies based in New York City Publishing companies established in 1898