JJanuary is always a good time to re-evaluate what Pittsburgh Magazine does and to introduce new features that we hope will entertain and inspire our readers. This year, we’re bringing back popular voices, expanding our curated slate of events, and identifying the local quirks and quirks that really make Pittsburgh — well, Pittsburgh. Online, we are introducing a weekly wellness newsletter and expanding our wedding offerings.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how Pittsburgh Magazine fits into the local media landscape following the October strike by production workers and reporters at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where I worked for years. until 2019.
The scene is much different than the last local newspaper strike in 1992. At that time, the Post-Gazette and (now defunct) Pittsburgh Press were the city’s main sources of print news. The Greensburg-based Tribune-Review focused on Westmoreland County and surrounding areas, and a handful of daily or weekly publications served niche audiences.
The Internet – and the online distribution of news – barely existed.
Now, in addition to legacy broadcast and news organizations, there are more than 15 online-only publications, ranging from nonprofit investigative sites such as PublicSource and Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism to specialized platforms such as OnStage Pittsburgh . Print products also distribute daily digital news. There are local City Cast Pittsburgh podcasts, YaJagoff! and other organizations, as well as enhanced radio information. There’s also a new spirit of cooperation with the creation of the Pittsburgh Media Partnership — now with more than 20 members — which supports and promotes local journalism.
In all this mix, Pittsburgh Magazine, founded 54 years ago, continues to be the only monthly general-interest lifestyle magazine serving the region with personality profiles, food and restaurants, lifestyle. art, culture, history, leisure, travel, business and more.
But we are now much more than just a magazine.
Yes, each year we produce 12 monthly magazines, plus four HOME magazines, a Pittsburgh Weddings magazine, a Visitors Guide and Give, which promotes charity news. We have a robust website that’s updated daily with new stories and articles about what’s happening around Pittsburgh. We distribute the daily 412 newsletter filled with local news, culture and things to do, as well as weekly newsletters on home decor and real estate (Nest), food and restaurants (PGHEats) and a guide for visitors ; we are also introducing a pair of additional newsletters, BeWell and Pittsburgh Weddings.
We sponsor awards programs – 40 Under 40, Excellence in Nursing and more – and host events such as the Pittsburgh Wine & Spirits Festival and Ultimate House tours. Each November, we partner with GiveGab, an online giving platform, to sponsor Give Big Pittsburgh for Giving Tuesday; the effort raised more than $3 million last year in its first 24 hours. We also held webinars on topics such as women’s health and retirement planning.
This month, we’re honoring longtime Allegheny County executive Rich Fitzgerald as Pittsburgher of the Year for 2022 — an annual tradition that dates back to 1986, when the former University of Pittsburgh chancellor , Wesley Posvar, and former Carnegie Mellon University President Richard Cyert were our first honorees. .
None of this would be possible without the support of our readers, advertisers, and the entire Pittsburgh community, and we thank you for the opportunity to continue this valuable legacy.
Virginia Linn can be reached at [email protected].