Restructuring the deck chairs on the Titanic?

Sad --- a place I used to know well.

Yeah, it is sad. They've got a lot of talent here. There was always something about sitting down with a nice thick magazine, but when it got to the point where EGM would be printing things I read on Joystiq (not Kotaku, sorry Gawker) three weeks ago, I decided not to bother to renew.

*All it's got left is PC Magazine, its game group (which recently restructured itself, merging print and online, to the mass confusion of all)... Why doesn't he just file for Chapter 7, the liquidation kind of bankruptcy? That seems easier.*

All = PC Magazine, EGM, GFW and 1UP = Quite a lot actually. The mass confusion of all? Understanding how to integrate print and online effectively is confusing? I must not have gotten that memo.

*Why doesn't he just file for Chapter 7, the liquidation kind of bankruptcy? That seems easier.*

Now, that's responsible journalism and a noteworthy 'why didn't I think of that'-style solution all wrapped up into one, uninformed, bite-sized nugget! You should apply to be our news editor. Oh wait...

It's a sad sad day when ZD shutters. But ZD was always structured using the real estate model--"Location, Location!" Bill Z was a lion in the industry and h created a lot of jobs and set many people up in careers. Bill nevr really had a successor and his stars began leaving the sinking ship long ago. Having said that, I would miss ZD mags a lot.

Jim Forbes
one of more than 1,000 ex-Ziffies.

@JamesMielke:
Don't let them get to you James... These guys are no better than the NY Post when it comes to telling the truth.

@JamesMielke: From what I've gathered (I might be wrong), ZD is currently doing pretty well. Just not paying-back-that-huge-debt well.

So how the fuck did you guys get that deep into debt?

Whores and blow during the bubble? Or did you spend millions and millions to get 1up, et al. to where they are today (pretty profitable)?

Second thing, you're kidding about Irwin joining. But seriously, you've had a lot of folks leaving: Che, Smith, Klepek, Turner, Gladstone, McDonald, Intahar. I'm sure there're others.

Who are you filling all those shoes with? Can you even afford to?

I can't comment too much on our long-term plan, but Ziff-Davis isn't going anywhere but up. Chapter 11 is usually looked at in a very negative way, as many companies use it as a bail-out maneuver. But it can also be used as a safeguard to help settle things down. In the case of ZD, it's being utilized to put us in a much stronger position going forward. I'm probably in a better mood today than I was last week (I'd go so far as to say I'm psyched), knowing all of the ways this move is going to help Ziff.

As for the departures, I think we all know a good opportunity, or I should say "the right opportunity" when it comes. Being on the editorial side of the industry opens a lot of doors for the right people, and whatever success our guys have found, they undoubtedly deserve. The Ches, Smiths, MacDonalds and Intihars have been invaluable to our success, but the great thing is that there are more of them born every day. We may have lost a Jeter and Rodriguez here and there, but we've picked up some of the brightest, most hard-working new talent we've seen in ages, lately, and with them our editorial staff is stronger than ever. In a few years, these guys will be superstars.