Rolling Stone magazine was founded by Jann S. Wenner in the late 60s – an era defined by Vietnam War protests, hippies and Woodstock. A chronicle of counter culture, the publication carved out a niche for itself by combining in-depth political coverage with pop-culture commentary.
The longtime home of gonzo journalists Hunter S. Thompson and P.J. O’Rourke, Rolling Stone’s relevance seemed to fade when the founding baby boomers grew up and the controversial Thompson passed away. Advertising revenue and circulation was on a downward spiral. The cutting-edge national affairs pieces that made the magazine famous were nonexistent.
That is until Mark Hastings, a contributor to Rolling Stone magazine, was granted unprecedented access to a top-ranking military official, General McChrystal. The piece recounts disparaging comments made by the general and his staff during a few nights of alcohol induced outings. Hastings’ “Runaway General” article did more than prompt the resignation of General McChrystal, it marked the beginning of the magazine’s comeback.
Hastings’ article quickly became one of the most read online even before the print publication hit newsstands. Mr. Hastings appeared, via satellite from Afghanistan, on various broadcast outlets including CNN’s Larry King Live. Having once worked in the publicity department of Wenner Media, I know the staff there was overjoyed by all the TV bookings and fanfare created around the June 21st issue.
But the question becomes can this title that’s been around for more than four decades sustain its renewed popularity?
Some argue that the publication is well poised to continue to churn out notable journalism. A recent New York Times article attributes Rolling Stone’s recent success to its bi-weekly publishing schedule: “Many newsweeklies have faltered and lost their impact on shaping the national conversation, but as a biweekly Rolling Stone has thrived in defiance of a digital age in which articles are supposed to appear then vanish within hours.”
According to Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair, “Biweekly publications have the best of both worlds: they can respond nimbly to the news and take their time on longer enterprise pieces.”
We’ll have to wait and see if the publication can continue its momentum. I know I’ll be watching to see what’s on the next cover of Rolling Stone.