Business 2.0: The Final Cover
Michael Arrington
102 comments »
The final issue of Business 2.0 magazine, October 2007, will soon be in the mail to subscribers and on the newstands. It promises to be a collector’s item and will probably be the biggest selling copy of the magazine in its nine year history. The image to the right, we’re told from a source, is the cover for that final October issue. Click for a larger view.
It is a shame to see it go - Business 2.0 is one of only three magazines I subscribe to and read cover-to-cover every issue (the other two are Wired and The Economist). The story style and content was a big inspiration for starting TechCrunch, even though we are a poor imitation and rarely do it justice.
I first heard about Business 2.0 in 1998 when I saw a billboard on the 101 freeway near South San Francisco that advertised it, before the first issue came out. In 2001 it was sold to Time Warner, who’ve done little to grow the brand, and some say they were somewhat proactive in destroying it, always favoring the (in my opinion) sterile business magazine Fortune.
The magazine was one of the first major media publications to cover TechCrunch, exactly one year ago in an article written by Paul Sloan and Paul Kaihla. That article, by the way, was the source of the infamous images of me smoking a cigar and burning $100 bills (I’ve since learned that you don’t actually have to do what the photographer tells you to do).
Earlier this year Heather and I met with editor-in-chief Josh Quittner and we explored a merger between TechCrunch and Business 2.0. I believe we could have made the pieces fit in a way that would have worked well for both sides, but Time eventually squashed any deal by pulling them off the block and simply shutting it down (these discussions were confidential but recently leaked).
I’ve become friends with many of the people at Business 2.0 over the years, and respect the hell out of all of them. Many are moving on to Fortune, or to new gigs. I hope they all continue to write passionately about technology, and know that the work they’ve done will be greatly missed. And even though we never did a deal to merge with Business 2.0, I hope to work with some of the best and brightest from that publication in the future.
So very sad to see Biz 2.O go. Crap, now what do I have to look forward to in the mailbox, certainly not Wired. At least there is always the Economist.
How creepy to see that you subscribe to precisely the three same magazines I do, and only those.
Also sad to see B2.0 go. You know you killed it, right?
I first subscribed to Business 2.0 after getting the debut issue free in the mail from Imagine (as a long-time subscriber to Maximum PC — which was then boot). Eventually, I switched to FastCompany (I think around the time B2.0 was sold to Time, Inc.), which tended to cover more areas that interested me. But I do have fond memories of Business 2.0.
Maybe I’ll pick up this issue for old time’s sake.
Correction, I think boot was actually retired by 1998. Too long ago to remember.
i hate wired
print has become a joke. most of these rags have become ten pages of filler garbage to ninety pages of ads.
Very well written Michael, I can sense your passion.
I still don’t fully understand why it’s being closed down - seems like a waste of a good brand.
For me, it was the only US magazine I subscribed to over here in Australia.
i subscribe to several magazines…
and by-far, Business2 was the magazine i read almost literally page for page; it’s a shame to see it go.
there’s always Entrepreneur magazine…it’s not solely webby startups - but at least it shares the common thread of startup co.s
Ahhh.. We always destroy what we fear
Wired? It hasn’t been relevant for 10 years. It was a great magazine that has devolved into a poor man’s Omni. Business 2.0 was fine, but in reality, print is a niche these days - plane flights and the can, and Blackberry now rules the can.
This is a bummer.
If this magazine is so popular and considered to be good by its readers, I then wonder why its closing down. Maybe it should have been sold to somebody with a vision for it going forward.
Glad you wrote about this. I’m sad to see it go, too. It’s one of the three (non-skateboarding) magazines I subscribe to as well: Business 2.0, The Economist, and Mojo (best magazine on the planet IMHO, bar none). So yeah, guess I have to get an RSS reader for the bathroom? It’s gonna be lonely in there.
ian
Arrington, If I were you I’d get that picture blown up on a poster and hung right next to my Godfather poster. Sweet.
So sad. I only subscribe to Fortune and Business 2.0. Does that mean I only have to keep my fortune subscription to read biz2.0 articles too?
I enjoy reading it, but all other member of my family think it is for IT ppl only, maybe that’s why …
RIP Business 2.0!!!
Hi all,
I live in Paris. How to buy Business 2.0 here in France ?
Can not book it neither online & off line
Thanks for your help
Olivier
I’m still high from the excitement of this week. I have just arrived home from the TechCrunch 40 conference and my head is spinning as I try to recount the wonderful experience I just endured. Incredible Keynotes, kickass start-ups and pretty good food were just a part of the magic of these past 48 hours….
It actually sickens me right now to hear the news that my favorite print periodical is being destroyed. It is the death of something that I have loved. I don’t want to liken it to a person or pet, but in a sense the gut feeling is similar.
You can never go backwards and must always march ahead. What was once a great thing will most likely never be again. The continued lesson to be learned in Silicon Valley is that of perseverance. I am certain that new things, perhaps even greater than B20 ever was will spawn from its disintegration.
The turning of this leaf is only fitting for this week to me as it is the start of the Jewish New Year. It is time for me to wipe the slate clean and start a fresh year. I only hope that this year something will successfully fill the large void that is being unreasonably created by Time Warner.
On another note, I would like to extend my thanks to Michael and to Jason for putting on an excellent conference. It was nice meeting both of you and this experience has sparked a fire in me that will one day be known to the world.
Maybe it will come back as Business 3.0?
Hey thanks Zach, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I am drafting a wrapup post that will go up tomorrow or Friday. What an experience that was.
the economist is a weekly =-)
michael, you truly are a rock star if you can get through the economist every week cover to cover. easily the most dense news magazine out there.
First it was Red Herring, and now Business 2.0. Tears
Biz 2.0 will always be one of my favoite mags ever! It will surely be missed.
Michael, I think You and Om should get together with other investors and buy the mag and bring it back!
The tidbit about you burning 100 dollar bills made me laugh. I love the honesty.
Almost like #2… I too read every issue of The Economist and Wired cover-to-cover, and have often read Business 2.0.
Olivier: check out eBay.com as soon as the last issue hits the U.S. newsstands, I am sure many sellers will be happy to provide you with a copy!
Wow, that really sucks. I just started subscribing a few issues ago and it’s one of my favorite mags. Sucks.
Great magazine, i was a subscriber from Greece, it was an amazing magazine. This is one of the 3 magazines I am subscriber (including Wired and MIT Review). But another issue with Real Estate?
Michael,
Sometimes in business and life things happen for a reason. Perhaps you will be able to look back in 1 or 2 years and say that you are happy that a merger between Tech Crunch and Business 2.0 did not happen.
We are still early in the game in terms of Blogging media…there very well could be something new in terms of online publishing that will even eclipse the earnings / readership etc that Techcrunch/Crunchbase have now.
Would it not be nice at that point to be able to go in headfirst with plenty of cash and with the ability to gain large market share in the new medium?
Besides, the writers and staff at Business 2.0 seemed top notch so perhaps you can bring a couple on board with TechCruch in the future:)
that is so bad. Business 2.0 is the only magazine I don’t miss. Too bad.
Michael, were those real $100 bills? Can you get locked up for that? Anyway, looking forward to seeing you in London at FOWA. From all the comments I’m surprised business 2.0 is joining the … deadpool…
May I have my money back from B2.0 for the remaining issues I won’t get?
@ Olivier: most of the US magazines, even if it’s you can’t find the info on their websites, provide overseas subscriptions, just call their callcenter. This is what I did for B2.0 (the subscription costed just 45 USD for Italy)
This is about the only magazine out there I would pay for, so sad. Good luck to all the staff. And Ema I guess now it’s too late to tell people how to subscribe overseas. Really one of the best magazine out there. Too bad.
Bummer. Great magazine. Much better format than Wired in my opinion.
Techcrunch could always grow its brand by going into print…you have all these contacts with VC firms, surely they’d back your venture if you don’t have the cash yourself.
And you already know how to write, and with an editor someone will always spellcheck your work.
And those same VC firms would be the first people to buy ads in the magazine.
I love biz 2.0. I got my first mag in October 2003 and I’ve been reading since. I actually just finished off this month’s issue on the bus this morning.
Sad
Wow I’m shocked that this mag is gone. Out of all the ones I get, this is one I always enjoyed the most and read first. In today’s ever fast-changing world, Business 2.0 was always relevant. Too bad…
Michael, I am with you, this magazine was also one of the few I really enjoyed all those years… It is a shame to see it go !
I’ve been a subscriber for a few years. Lately, it seems the content quality has gone down drastically. They oversimplify things to give people false hope that they can make money overnight. They often report on trends well after they are already well-publicised in TechCrunch and other popular sites/blogs. I still do enjoy reading the magazine while I’m taking a nice dump, but I think my new iPhone will be more entertaining on the crapper.
I tried FastCompany but found they are relatively uninformed technology wise. One article was labeled “Cafeteria 2.0.” Really! your attaching the 2.0 to food now. Terribly disappointing. Forbes and Businesweek are about 4 months behind any real technology development story, I guess its for all the corp. heads who don’t know any better and are all about image. Mags I’m down to for tech…
Wired - Pretty Good (too much geek tho)
MIT Technology Review - Excellent
Second the economist, but its overwhelming to keep up with.
It sucks to see them go, but them bastards just charged my cc again for another year just last week. I am waiting to get a refund.
I’m putting this on my top 10 list of things that sucked about 2007.
I’m gunna miss them as well.. the only major publication that profiled my business (not that I was looking, they asked!). Might have jinxed ‘em!
Fast Company FTW!!!
Agree with Andrew.
) and trying out a print version of TC on which (laid out) folks from Bus 2.0 would work would be not the worst idea after all. I would definitely subscribe to it…
Why not create a print version of TechCrunch? Business 2.0 (which I’ll definitely miss a lot) had articles from other tech blogs (TC’s competitors
Go TechCrunch magazine, go!!!
Given the passion subscribers feel about the mag, I am betting some smart people will come together to fill the void. It won’t be called “Business 2.0″ because that belongs to Time but I am going on the record with a prediction that “TechCrunch” magazine will be launched in the next 6-9 months.
I’m going to further bet that it doesn’t get produced via the traditional expensive process. Rather, it gets produced using technology demonstrated at TC40 this year - http://www.techcrunch40.com/20.....resenter=7
Arrington, am I way off?
By the way, I call that PYMWYMI (pim-wim-ee) Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. Anyone want to take that bet?
Regards,
George
Man that picture is cool and uncool at teh same time. wow… You really have money to burn…
I read 3 magazines regularly…
Business 2.0
MIT Technology Review
The Economist (sometimes you just need an out of U.S. perspective)
I also like ESPN the magazine but its easier to just watch sports center so I stopped getting it.
It is a shame to see Business 2.0 go…but at the end of the day if I had a large marketing budget (and I did at my last company), the dollars spent online produced far better to anything in print. The 10-15K to get a spot in Bus 2.0 was far more productive in search or on targeted sites like TC. I think a model of paid editorial (clearly labeled as such) may be the only way to go for the print guys. Coverage in the magazine was huge, advertising wasn’t worth it. Is there a way to mix and maintain integrity…unclear. In any case, a great pub. Need to find something else to fill the void
recently i found a cool web site with web2.0 technology , which may give huys some idea about web2.0’s application in our daily life. You may not feel so wired.
http://youmonitor.us/
I think it’s a really cool US web site ; - )
Love B2.0…it provided for many leg falling as sleep sessions.
Great content, that was aimed and written for the appropriate audience.
I still have Wired, Inc., and Harvard Bus Review. The Economist…I don’t know if I’m ready for that, YET.
Guys,
It seems we all love Biz 2.0. I am thinking of hacking up something real quick for Biz 2.0 subscribers. Something along the line of …”We want Business 2.0 back”….what do you think?
Please share your thoughts
Sarah
I’m gonna miss Business 2.0 as well. Some great journalists over there for sure. Michal Levi-Ram did an excellent job covering the wireless industry.
This is my very favorite magazine and I am actually depressed to see it go. I read every page of that magazine and it was a way to instill hope for my dreams.
Business 2.0, please dont go!
Sarah,
I’ll speak for myself: I love Biz 2.0 for its content, not its name. If Time Warner decided to shut it down, it will be hard for them to reverse this big decision. I guess, TW being a big company, they have complex decision making processes and they’ll stick to them.
From another point of view, I am really concerned about the folks who’ve done such a great job putting all that information together and keeping the magazine interesting for a long time.
Looking at all this, I think that TechCrunch has a unique opportunity for further growth - in printed media. TC could hire some of those folks and create a magazine that will be focused on TC’s main segment of interest, and that will create a product that will be very competitive on the printed media market.
At least, TC could create a couple of trial versions and see how it goes… I bet that devoted Biz 2.0 readers will subscribe to the TC magazine, and additionally TC will be available to readers of printed media who stop by magazine stands to see what’s new and buy what they find interesting.
I’ve done quite a bit of research of the new web trends (will launch my own startup in a month or so, and working on other 3), and think that there will be a huge area to be covered in the future (after many launches comes the era of mergers and acquisitions, failures, growth… - you name it), so there will be no lack of material for the magazine.
TC’s main focus, combined with the talent of Biz 2.0 guys could create a nice synergy that will be interesting for many news consumers.
Too bad for B2.0, but I was looking at the numbers at magazine.org and it was a big drop. I can’t do Forbes, it simply sucks. I’ll prefer reading Fast Company.
Michael, you talk about a merger with them. Were any offered gigs with you after the decision to chuck B2.0?
Well said Mike. I can’t agree with you more.
I think the time is now for Michael Arrington to do something. We all love him. Biz 2.0 has created a vacuum he can fill. All he has to do is to source defunct Biz 2.0 talents and make “techcrunch zine” available to techcrunch addicts like me.
Michael Arrington…. I hope you are reading this. Think about it and we can’t wait for techcrunch magazine. I will be your first subscriber
After a long relationship with B2.0, I’m very sorry to see it go away. It has been a catalyst for many brainstorming sessions around the office.
Magazines are a dying breed and incredibly wasteful. Think of all the dead trees, toxic ink and transportation required to deliver a publication full of ads to your door.
I cant wait until my Wired subsription expires. It has become a 21st century ‘Sears catalog’ for all the useless crap we dont need…
ciao B2.0 — It was one of the only magazines out there that helped startups with relevant articles and features in print. It’s a sad day..
I am at a loss for Business 2.0 too. I read them along with Wired. But that picture of you with teh cigar rocks!
Make sure and get your money back if you are subscribed past this month. Customer Service is online at https://secure.customersvc.com/servlet/Show
It’s a little early for a real-estate recovery. Looks like this issue will be useful in a year or three.
Shutting down B2 is another bad decision by Time Warner. Obviously it has a large fanbase. I don’t know if it would have helped, but I bet they could have charged more for subscriptions. Strange that Wired and the Economist are also the only other magazines I read regularly; they must target a good demographic.
By the way, did anyone else notice the subliminal message in Michael’s centerfold action? Put your hand over the right page and focus on the left.
http://www.clicknewz.com/img/b.....ollars.jpg
You know what I’m talkin’ about.
This magazine is the only publication that truly puts the edge of entrepeneurship into a suitable perspective and gives it the right colorful image. The only magazine that I ever buy and the only magazine that I ever dream of having a feature written about me someday! Reading about some of the guys who came on has been inspiring and this is very very sad news!! Why the f^%*k do we have to sit here and watch something that is a part of our passion dissapear on us like this??
If I was one of the established guys reading TC and these posts I’d pull some strings and do something about this!
Well.. I guess one of the guys who said everything happens for a reason is right though, there will be a large space to fill and I do hope to see a Business 3.0 or something to fill this space.
Although it did feel that the mag didnt have too much stuff to write about in recent volumes and was starting to be a little repetetive.. But it was still very inspiring and fun to read. It wasnt just about web and sometimes not just technology which is the kind of combination that entrepeneurs ought to keep themselves in.
Damn!
Very sad to see Biz 2.0 go. I echo many of the comments already posted. It is/was my favorite magazine and I looked forward to going to the mailbox awaiting the next issue.
I agree with Jason H.’s post, TechCrunch should buy Biz 2.0 assets and resurrect it. Time Warner apparently doesn’t think it’s worth anything.
Biz 2.0 will truly be missed.
Time, your’re sucks.
Michael and People at Business 2.0, you’re cool. Keep up a good work.
What a bummer, Business 2.0 was a great magazine. I read a lot of magazines, but only subscribe to Bus 2.0 and Wired. I love the Economist too, but usually only read it when I am traveling.
Would have been cool if TechCruch could have worked a deal together. Chris B. may be onto something… (a moment of silence please…)
I am going to put a post of the news on our new blog site http://www.mobileedgeblog.com
It is true that print is becoming obsolete ,but I enjoyed(LOVED) reading my biz 2.0 on the train and bus. I will as most of us will miss them.
Hey Mike, how about bizcrunch2.0. I would love to write for you.
Merging was a great idea but continuing the legacy is ever greater.
Thank you Business 2.0 for helping us to envision what we
never knew existed or will exist.
Shame. Thank you B20.
Ya, thanks Business 2.0
I’ve been subscribing for years… (And hey Time, Fortune blows, so I’ll just be taking a refund, thank you.) But I’d gladly have renewed yet again to B2.
I wish Time would have sold it to TC…
RIP, you will be missed old friend. Maybe the pieces will leave on their own and you can still do that.
Hey TC team, I am a huge fan of your blog and of Business 2.0 magazine.
I just grabbed bizcrunch20.com and will keep it for you - in case you decide to do what readers advised above. I’ll give it to you for free with no strings attached - just do it for all of us.
In case you decide not to use it, well, at least I tried to contribute to a cool idea that many intelligent readers would salute.
Cheers.
Oh this is such bad news. It is the only magazine that I look forward to in the mail. At least I found TC through Business 2.0’s website. Maybe there will be something even better in the future.
Really sad to see it go, enjoyed finding this in my mailbox each month.
Too bad. I liked the redesign and the content, especially “The Disruptors” articles.
The Economist deserves all this passing praise. It’s the last word in top-quality, engaging, stylish journalism. And I’ve learned a surprising amount of what I know about technology from its Technology Quarterly. Just faintly concerned about the future now that all its content has gone free, like the NYT.
It is sad indeed. Like most everyone on this post, it is one of the very few magazines I subscribe to on print and that justifies its weight when tracking in and out of planes. It is insightful, rich, inspirational and relevant.
Thanks to the editors, writers, artists, photographers, etc. You will be missed.
Ok, but we need the skinny: where will everyone go and what’s the new publication that I should sign up for?
Good bye
http://vidsonly.blogspot.com
I hate you Time Warner.
This is our only magazine print subscription. VERY VERY sad..
We will miss this greatly
http://www.Suckered.Us
Interesting - Just got a snail mailer from Business 2.0 signed by a VP, Circulation offering a Best Value offer of 3 years subscription to Business 2.0 and looking forward to having me as a valuable subscriber for years to come.
Nice picture ! Could be use to show how smoking is bad for you…
Did you manage to stop smoking $ 100 bills ?
” I read every page of that magazine and it was a way to instill hope for my dreams.”
Austin, me too.
Thanks for all the great memory and articles, Biz 2.0
P.S. what’s wrong with Time Warner??? When’s the last time you read the Time magazine? They should cancel the Time mag, not the Biz 2.0…
Jason H: “When’s the last time you read the Time magazine? They should cancel the Time mag, not the Biz 2.0…”
I think millions of dentists and hairdressers would disagree with you.
I hate to see this happen to Bus 2.0. As I write this, I have a copy, dog eared and worn, sitting a few inches from my laptop right now.
I used B2.0 as inspiration for several of my blog posts and for my latest start up. It was one of the few magazines which actually “got it”.
Sure, there was some fluff and lots of pretty ads/stories - but at the end of the day I discovered more companies, products, web sites and apps I would have missed reading one of the mainstream (”Time magazine? Please how about renaming it Late!”), magazines.
Fortunately, the kind of person who reads Bus 2.0 is the same kind of person who will come up with the next publication for the market.
I look forward to it. Better yet, anyone interested in filling the void?
Json: “I think millions of dentists and hairdressers would disagree with you.”
LOL
Is this a joke? I just re-newed my subscription.
The site does not say anything about October being the end…
So sad… I still have the first ever Business 2.0 issue sealed.
Too bad they this will be their last issue…
The only Magazine that make me feel that i bought a treasure. I bought it in Norway and Philippines, I gone miss it!
jayjay
I agree completely. This was a great publication, and it was my only at home subscription as well. I can’t help but think that Time, Inc is being short sighted. I voted with my wallet and I canceled my “rollover” subscription to Fortune today.
Business 2.0 was the only magazine I took with me on vacation. It was relevant, accurate and entertaining. I am going to miss it dearly.
Check out http://www.vivabusiness2.com - techcrunch style of the blogs
I thought I kept up on the news, but somehow I missed that this magazine was ending. Too bad, because I enjoyed reading this…I went to the bookstore to get it and found this information out.