Skope Magazine
| Editor | TBA |
|---|---|
| Categories | Music |
| Frequency | Bi-Monthly |
| Publisher | Michael Friedman |
| Total circulation (2007) | 100,000 |
| First issue | January 2001 |
| Country |
 United States |
| Language | English |
| Website | www.skopemagazine.com |
Skope Magazine was a music magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 2000 and privately owned by Michael Friedman. It was published by Skope Entertainment Inc. The magazine was printed bi-monthly in color. The magazine began as a Co-Op project at Northeastern University in Boston.
Skope Entertainment Inc. has ceased printed publication of the magazine, and now operates as a music-focused media company. The subsidiaries consist of Skopemag.com, Skope Merch, Skope Records and Skope Live.
History
Issue #1 (the Skope Eye issue) was published in 2001. It was printed in black and white, totaled 20 pages, and focused its content on Boston area musicians and emcees. An initial tag-line stated that Skope was "Boston's Premier Local Music Magazine," and it featured only local area musicians. It later expanded to cover national artists across various genres.
1,000 copies of each issues were distributed for free throughout Northeastern University and at live music venues and cafes throughout Boston. Publication began on a quarterly basis, and moved to a bi-monthly release in 2004.
The April 2004 ("Polyphonic Spree") issue, was the first issue to print in CMYK, and also marked the switch to paid publication. A distribution contract was signed with Newbury Comics and Tower Records in New England to sell the magazine for $1.
In 2006, page count increased to 60 pages and a national distribution contract was signed with Ingram Periodicals allowing the magazine to be placed into national chain bookstores, including Barnes & Noble.
In May 2007, Canada based CTC Magazines extended the distribution of Skope to newsstands internationally with a $3.99 cover price. David Abramowitz of Mag N Book, was hired as a distribution consultant. The May/June 8 issue had Panic At The Disco on the cover.
The company's website was launched April 1, 2001 to host additional time-sensitive articles, contests, news, artist biographies, event calendars, and sound clips. It was to be an online supplement to the magazine. At first the site was managed by an outside conractor. But as the magazine grew the site could not keep up with the amount of content coming in. The site was updated about once a month.
In 2004 the server was switched over to NIMBIT.com. NIMBIT.com allowed Skope's CEO, Michael Friedman to update the site on a daily basis.
In 2007 Shaun Flagg redesigned the site.
In 2008 Skope signed up with Constant Contact to start a Skope E-Blast opearation, offering readers giveaways, features, tickets, and information.
Skope Live!
Skope Live! was established in November 2002 as a live music concert promoter. The first show was held at Harper's Ferry in Allston, MA, and sold out with John Brown's Body headlining the event. Other Boston venues to host Skope Live! events include Bill's Bar, The Middle East, The Cutting Room, FELT, and The All Asia. In July 2008, AMP Energy signed on as a sponsor.
Cover stories
2007 cover stories included: Ludacris, My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, 50 Cent and KT Tunstall.
2006 cover stories included Pharrell, Living Things, Jurassic 5, Taking Back Sunday.
2005 covers included: The Flaming Lips, T House of The Almighty, Fall Out Boy and Thrice.
2004 cover stories included: The Polyphonic Spree, D12, The Dresden Dolls, The Donnas.