Publisher Says DFW's THE Mag Has Folded

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Just got off the phone with Ken Villalovos, former publisher of THE magazine, who confirms what Jerome wrote yesterday: The Dallas-Fort Worth arts publication is no longer. Villalovos says he and editor Scot Hart took pay cuts believing that THE’s parent company Santa Fe Publishing Group would settle up with writers who hadn’t been paid. That didn’t happen — “it was getting to the point where our reputations were on the line” and “we left because we weren’t getting paid,” he says. (We’ve not been able to reach Santa Fe reps.)

But Dallas-Fort Worth should have a publication dedicated to the arts, Villalovos says, and he’s still looking for ways to make that happen.

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COMMENTS

Tom Hendricks

Dallas does have an arts and media publication celebrating its 17th year – Musea.
It’s survived by dumping ads – that makes all the difference. The future will be magazines about content not ad filler.
FWWeekly Anthony

For whatever reason, talk of the lack of arts coverage in North Texas always fails to acknowledge the strong, award-winning arts coverage in the Dallas Observer and Fort Worth Weekly. Do people just like complaining for the sake of complaining?
Jerome Weeks

Bemoaning a loss is not the same as complaining.

Also, although the Weekly and the Observer certainly have writers covering different arts in their respective cities, the publications are not solely dedicated to that. The arts are rarely outfront on the covers, for instance. I think that’s what Mr. Villalovos meant when he felt that the area needs a periodical committed to arts coverage.
Lydia

Also, there was an integrity in design and layout with THE magazine. Color photos, coverage of ALL the arts and especially the calendar, reviews and events for kids. It was well laid out, and nice just to hold in your hands. It looked beautiful and had great content dedicated to the arts. Hopefully, someone can fill the void soon.
Dallas Arts Salon

Very sad to read this. I thought THE Magazine was a welcome addition to the Dallas arts scene. Like the CADD Art Lab, it will be missed. I think those who frequent the places where THE Magazine was available always looked forward to picking up the new issue. As the person before said, they covered most all of the arts – music. theater, visual – and it was all around a quality publication. There just seems to be a lack of support on many levels for arts community that is not supported by the city or big private donors.
FWWeekly Anthony

I should have been more clear. I was talking in general terms about the perceived lack of arts coverage both in North Texas and across the country. The THE story was just another point of departure into the conversation, one that always seems to neglect the obvious: that award-winning fine arts coverage exists and persists (and I’m not talking about via personal online diaries or blogs).