Brown created a magazine in his own image: he had spent years fantasising about having his own title, drawing up lists in his mind of the people he would need to help him. At its peak, it shifted 460,000 copies a month; now, it sells little more than half that number. The ABC headline figure of 261,937, released a couple of weeks ago, revealed a 15 per cent drop in circulation in the past year. That decrease is more than double that suffered by its closest rival, Maxim (which, to be fair, it still outsells). Both titles can only look up in awe at the market-leader, FHM, which sells more than 600,000 copies a month.Loaded was launched in 1994 by James Brown, for “men who should know better”.
Magazines, especially those shedding sales at a rapid rate, cannot be turned around in a matter of months.And Loaded is losing readers alarmingly quickly. It is not to IPC’s credit that its new man disappeared so quickly. I would not feel terribly secure if I were Mr Daubney: though Manson’s departure was described as a resignation, he cannot have been offered the greatest support from management if he chose to go after such a short time. Martin Daubney, formerly the deputy at the mag, is now at the helm, in place of Scott Manson, who is off to head what is cryptically called a “new, youth-based venture” elsewhere, whatever that is.It is not long since the bosses at IPC were talking about Manson’s energy, ideas, background and experience He was editor for just 10 months.
Don’t be so self-centred: you are not the only folk to have moved jobs this week.Loaded, the magazine that created a generation, has a new editor. He wishes him “every success” in the future.
No time for mourning, however Because look who has walked in through that very same door Uncork the champagne! Look at this new chap. Wouldn’t you say he’s ideal? He has “the right background and experience” for the job; he’s bursting with “boundless energy” and “original ideas”. He will be – and this is the bit about which there is absolutely no doubt – “outstanding”.No, Alastair, not you Nor you, Dave. His employer appreciates “all his hard work” but, of course, he also respects his “decision to develop his career” somewhere else. The departing fellow should realise the depth of feeling his boss feels as he walks him out of the front door for the final time. So we had a very good meal and an awful lot to drink that night to try to make up for it..
You know the script. We had been robbed of our great scoop.That was the end of my undercover career I felt terribly let down. So we sat there on the beach, with our blacking and our boatman, and were told the operation was off.Apparently, some people in the office had heard what we were going to do and felt that it wasn’t at all right, and also that an industrial tribunal case might cause some trouble if we were lost at sea.So, I never got to play my part in this great story It was going to be my big breakthrough. Just before dark, one of my colleagues had a panic and thought he ought to make a quick call to the editor to make sure everything was all right.
