“BUILT” TO LAST?…A MUSCLE MAG’S LONG ROAD TO A SHORT LIFE
“BUILT” TO LAST?…THE LONG ROAD TO A SHORT-LIVED MUSCLE MAG
The Slow Construction and Swift Destruction of a Bodybuilding Magazine
So, who wouldn’t give the hope of launching a fitness magazine another shot, huh?
After packing away my unpublished concept for DIESELman Magazine, I moved to Hollywood, where I was approached by the Editor-in-Chief of a new magazine in the works that was poised to shake up things in the industry.
The title: BUILT Magazine. The concept: Promote healthy bodybuilding and celebrate classic physiques, while reporting with a “tell it like it is” attitude.
Eureka! For all intents and purposes, BUILT was the second coming of DIESELman for me. Cool name, hot concept.
As the new Creative and Editorial Director, I enthusiastically hopped aboard a team of energetic guys with big vision and crazy ideas. My fervor even led me to don my amateur graphic designer’s hat and design some of the promotional artwork. With much blood, sweat and tears, Team BUILT gathered some great writing and striking photography and we produced a standout book.
Naturally, the setbacks kicked in. The usual tug-of-war between the creative side and the business side. Communication delays. Content adjustments. Business direction shifts. Printer holdups. You name it.
But we did it. “If you build it, they will come.” We built BUILT, and they came…to The Olympia. We debuted BUILT Magazine at The 2007 Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas to rave reviews. People loved it and wanted more. But before we could even get our bearings, the plug was pulled and we halted production. Over a year of planning. Only three months on the market as a quarterly publication. The story is too common to rehash. Investor stuff.
Efforts to secure new funding sources to keep the magazine alive were unsuccessful. While the editorial team is proud of our concept that produced the premiere issue of BUILT Magazine, for now, it will be the last and only issue.
It’s unfortunate. We had big plans to do some really cool things with BUILT; however, even the best of creative intentions are no match for the commercial realities of the publishing industry. So, another fitness and bodybuilding magazine quickly bites the protein dust…as have many others…as will many more.
Who knows? Maybe someone will come along and revive the concept. This dreamer will need loads of money and lots of luck.
Andrew Oye
FITWRITER…Mighty Powerful Words
www.myspace.com/fitwriter
thefitwriter@gmail.com
July 10, 2008 at 9:45 am
What a shame! I just read Built magazine as it was included in my last shipment from bodybuilding.com. This is a great mag with lots of good info. I learned quite a bit about several different supplements/compounds just within the first half of the mag. I was soooo looking forward to another editon. Please let me know if this project gets a new life-line and keep up the great ideas.
July 10, 2008 at 11:43 am
hey, martin, thanks for posting a comment. i share your disappointment. the team behind the magazine was saddened by its demise, but it’s a dog-eat-dog business. we’ll see what new & interesting things the fitness publishing industry will offer. thanks for the encouragement. stay tuned to this blog or to www.myspace.com/fitwriter for updates on my projects. all the best - andrew oye
August 26, 2008 at 6:32 pm
How can I get a copy to check it out ?