It was a short while ago that the Reaper warned that other Time Inc. titles were potential recipients of a visit from me. Life was one of those magazines, and now the New York Post's Keith Kelly concurs, saying that the weekly insert is losing $35 million a year.
These are bad days for Maxim alumni. Mark Golin's Office Pirates closes, and now Bill Shapiro feels the Reaper over his shoulder. He's got two big reasons to worry:
* In the Jeffrey Bewkes Era, there is no room for massive financial losses, especially if they plan on selling the division at some point. Anne Moore can not afford another albatross on her hands.
* Parade and USA Weekend totally dominate the weekly newspaper insert market. It's already a tough market, as there are so many places to get celebrity and TV news, there is no reason for Life to exist except for pretty photos.
The Reaper does not foresee much life left in Life, and it's best use is in the Museum of Dead Magazines. Again.
ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 10%
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