Iconic Playboy magazine ends print run over coronavirus disruption

Playboy has announced it will be shutting down its US periodical this month after supply chain issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated already sagging print sales.

CEO of Playboy Enterprises Ben Kohn said stopping printing of the magazine – which has been a quarterly since 2019 – had been considered by staff for some time, with Wednesday’s eventual decision to do so “accelerated” by the Covid-19 outbreak.

“A the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic to content production and the supply chain became clearer and clearer, we were forced to accelerate a conversation we’ve been having internally: the question of how to transform our US print product to better suit what consumers want today,” Mr Kohn said in an open letter published on Medium.

A new “digital-first publishing schedule” would allow Playboy to “engage in a cultural conversation each and every day, rather than just every three months” he added.

“It’s no surprise that media consumption habits have been changing for some time – and while the stories we produce and the artwork we showcase is enjoyed by millions of people on digital platforms, our content in its printed form reaches the hands of only a fraction of our fans.”

Mr Kohn did however hint at “special edition” print offerings in “a variety of new forms” being delivered as soon as next year.

“Print is how we began and print will always be a part of who we are,” he said.

The brainchild of the late American millionaire Hugh Hefner, Playboy magazine quickly established itself as an iconic global brand after being founded in 1953.

In its 1970 heydays, the magazine had a circulation of more than seven million across the world, attracting widespread attention for its nude centrefolds and taboo-shifting role in the sexual revolution.

In recent years the publication has attempted to rebrand itself, pivoting towards content touting diversity, inclusivity, and feminism.

The Playboy brand meanwhile now encompasses TV shows, merchandise, resorts, clubs, a record label and events.