History and Expansion of INsider Mag

Here is a brief history regarding the original print edition of INsider Magazine and eventual electronic edition of INsidermag.net:

April 1985 Magazine Founded: Trojan Blade Edition #1
• Trojan Blade was originally founded at the University of Southern California (USC) by Mark Jansen and Jane Kim as an official campus club sponsored by the University.
• Edition #1 Sales $2,200. 3,000 copies with 24 pages. It had a four-color cover with a black and white content. The size of the publication was 8.5" x 11". There were two issues, April and May. Total sales for the year were $4,700.

September 1985 - May 1986: Trojan Blade expands.
• Still only one campus publication with an average circulation of 5,000 copies over nine issues. Average sales $4,000 per issue ($36,000 annually a 70% increase in monthly sales).

September 1986 - May 1987: First Expansion to UCLA.
• The Trojan Blade started its first affiliate at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) calling it True Blue Magazine, loyal to the Bruin Lifestyle. The T&B network was born. The issue was managed by UCLA students and faculty.
• 10 issues with an average of $7,000 in billings and 10,000 copies per dual issue ($70,000 annually a 94% increase in annual sales).

May 1987: Second Expansion to PCC, LMU, SMC and CSULB.
• Four new affiliates were added: The Bohemian for Pasadena College, True Brio for Loyola Marymount, The Beatnik for Santa Monica College, and The Beach for Cal State Long Beach. All were managed by students from the participating campuses. 20,000 copies were distributed per issue.

September 1987 - May 1988: Third Major Expansion: SCN began.
• The new company name was adopted to umbrella all the affiliates: Satellite College Network, Inc. Its function was established as a marketing and management force for all the publications. Collective meetings representing all the campus publishers were organized.
• 23 editions participate in the network from as far north as CSUN to as far south as San Diego State ($105,000 annually a 50% increase in annual sales). Average circulation per issue is 65,000 copies.

September 1988 - May 1989: New mag size & welcome to CMB.
• Format of magazine is changed to an 11" x 17"as to cooperate and market jointly with an East Coast college magazine called College Monthly. College Monthly is an independently run publication separate from the Satellite College Network, Inc. publications. College Monthly’s circulation is 50,000 copies on 44 campuses.
• Circulation of SCN’s 101,000 copies combined with College Monthly’s circulation is a total of 151,000 copies and a total of 67 campuses ($152,353.59 annually a 45% increase in annual sales).

April 1989: INsider goes out of state; Hello Duke & New York.
• The Chicago edition begins (etc. Magazine) going to five schools in the metro area. A new permanent office is established. There are now 27 campuses in the entire network (combined with College Monthly’s now 93 campuses) total circulation 330,000 copies.

September 1989 - May 1990: SCN goes National & adds more services.
• Many new affiliates are added for a total of 140 campuses with an average circulation of 500,000 copies over 10 issues. By year’s end 15 regional Publishers control the majority of the publications. There are five predominant editions: College Monthly & New York Collegiate in the Northeast; Campus Class & Blue Line in the Southeast and Southwest; etc. Magazine in the Midwest; and T&B Magazine in the Western United States. Many of the Publishers have decided to develop one national title to serve all the magazines. Many of the affiliates have accepted the title “INsider” Magazine with the subquote “The Insider’s Guide to College” for their September 1990 editions.
• New services are offered by SCN, Inc. including campus promotions, newspaper placement and campus postering ($268,693.56 annually a 76% increase in annual sales).

September 1990 - May 1991: More substantial national advertisers sign on.
• The network expands circulation to 752,350 copies and now will be distributed on over 182 college campuses across the United States. Prominent national advertisers invest in Satellite College Network, Inc.: Citibank, Columbia House Record & Tape Club, MTV and the U.S. Army Reserve (Annual billings increase to over $330,000).

September 1991 - May 1992: More advertisers sign on.
• More national advertisers invest in Satellite College Network, Inc.: American Airlines, Trident Gum, Memorex and U.S. Air Force.

September 1992 - May 1993: New discount card.
• A new student discount card program (the Student Advantage Card) that interacts with INsider Magazine is initiated.

September 1993 - May 1994: INsider on newsstand & obtain BPA audit.
• INsider Magazine produces a newsstand edition that can be purchased on over 5000 newsstands across the country. A new subtitle to INsider Magazine is adopted: “Careers, Issues and Entertainment for the Next Generation”. INsider Magazine increases its circulation base to over 1,000,000 copies per month and is approved for its BPA audit.

September 1994 - May 1995: INsider distributes over 1 million mags per month.
• INsider enjoys a circulation of over 1 million copies with over 46 local/regional editions represented on over 1,500 college campuses. INsider Magazine increases its frequency to twelve times per year.

• Total number of active campus representatives in network now numbers over 200. Billings increase to over $765,000 annually.

September 1995 - May 1997: INsider has change of owner & adds new internet presence.
• INsider Magazine goes through another change of ownership and reorganization. The new owners of INsider are Michiana Ventures, Inc. A new editorial doctrine and marketing concept for INsider are introduced. INsider Magazine is redesigned to become the ultimate college marketing tool. A new addition to INsider is a comprehensive interactive Web-site that is linked to local sites around the country that correspond to each local edition of the magazine. The Web-site features all of INsider’s editorial and graphics, as well as interactive shopping, tied right in to our advertisers. Nicely completing the puzzle is the INsider Advantage Card that offers every subscriber fantastic discounts on anything from food to travel to long distance calls. These cards, while accepted nationally, are also good for local discounts in cities where INsider has its local editions. Each edition of the magazine contains a pullout Advantage Card section that updates readers on all new and existing local and national discounts. The Web-site has a daily update of all promotions and discounts, as well as customized access to the INsider virtual shopping center. Advertisers receive the same benefits as do our subscribers because they will get free mention on the Web, as well as increased sales (both on-line and in-store) from Advantage Cardholders. Subscribers get a first-rate lifestyle e-publication and fantastic savings with the Advantage Card.

INsider had an incredible success and growth period. The billings incurred by INsider have been rising steadily allowing INsider to expand quickly across America.

INsider is committed to providing America’s young adult population with an e-publication that is uniquely associated with and about their lifestyle on both a national and local level. INsider’s proactive readers view the publication as a competent source for finding local activities, people and issues to be concerned about. INsider Magazine’s editorial goal is to be cutting edge and to inform the nation’s next generation as to what is hot and what is not, and tell them what the latest trends and fads are in cities throughout the nation. INsider Magazine is unlike the many national general interest publications: ‘U’, Link or College Monthly, that are written in a national generic format and a condescending tone. Their is an added attraction and loyalty by readers to their specific edition of INsider Magazine because of local listings in the magazine where their Advantage Card is good for discounts from dry cleaning to pizza joints.