Liberal ‘National Journal’ Ends Its Print Edition, Layoffs for Workers

After 46 years, the liberal Washington-based magazine National Journal will end its print edition and refocus as an Internet-only publication.

Atlantic Media Chairman David Bradley took full responsibility for the financial failure of the print version but in part blamed the times in which we live for the failure.

“News in Washington now moves too quickly for a weekly publication,” Politico reported that Bradley wrote in a memo. But “the more-personal statement,” he said, “is that, as to the magazine, I believe I failed.”

“A few years back… distracted from National Journal’s work, I took both my eyes and hands off the task,” Bradley added. “In the long run, I don’t think a weekly print magazine can thrive. Still, had I not failed for a time in my role, I think National Journal might have prospered longer.”

Still, Bradley insists that the publication is doing well financially.

In the memo, Bradley wrote, “the whole of the National Journal is growing, growing in revenues, employees and capital invested. Revenue growth, investment growth and staff growth are all between 10% and 20% this year.”

Along with the end of the print edition, so too will a certain number of jobs come to an end. Bradley pledged to help those about to be laid off find new jobs. Specific layoffs have yet to be announced.

The latest development comes after the launch of a much-ballyhooed five-year plan meant to refocus and save the wonky policy magazine’s print edition. But even that plan had undergone several revisions over the last few years. The constantly changing plans only ended up undermining the faith many have had in Bradley’s leadership.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.