Niche-Market Print Journalism

It's a commonplace among the talking heads that dead-tree publications are going the way of the mastodon, but that's not quite true. General interest publications are having a hard time. Specialized interest mags are where the staying power is, with the dedicated subscribers willing to pay for what they can't get anywhere else. Woman & Guns is doing pretty well, so is Civil War Times. And Reptiles Magazine is chugging along just fine (I know what you're thinking so I'll spare you the soul-crushing disappointment I suffered when I clicked on the link and looked at the site: this is not a magazine with a reptilian readership;* it's for the humans who keep them as pets).

This actually encourages me to pursue an idea I've been toying with for some time. It's based on two simple facts: sleaze sells and a lot of smart people enjoy sleaze. The magazine I've got in mind would basically be something like The National Enquirer or People, but written for the sorts of readers who enjoy The Economist and Foreign Policy. I've already got some articles in the works:

"Is Paul Krugman Dating Timothy Geithner's Ex?"

"From Shirtless to Chic: Vladimir Putin's Ever-Changing Look."

"Capital Requirements and Casual Sex: The Crazy World of Random Hookups at the European Central Bank."

I'm looking for financial backers.....







*I was expecting articles with headlines like, "Sunning Yourself on Rocks: Which are More Comfy, Sedimentary or Igneous?" "Irrational Embarrassment about Tail Breakage."