Be-mag 10-year-anniversary - Part 2 - 07/03/13

With issue 23 (out soon) we are also celebrating Be-Mag's 10 year anniversary, We are running a big piece on it in this print issue, but we will also put out content we have gathered over the years online on Be-Mag. To start this we will run the article online which is being run in issue 23. Read about the history of Be-Mag and how it all fell in place in 2 parts. Part 2 features Be-Mag's route after the launch of the print magazine.


-Be-mag Print Issue 13 Soulstealing / Billy O'Neil disaster TS Topporn / Soulstealing highlight

The print days
2001 not only marked the beginning of the update driven website but also saw the first Be-Mag print issue. The original print team was Jonn Ruebcke, Martin Fussenegger, Stefan Kalt and myself. We decided that something new needed to be done and soon came up with the idea of Be-Mag and the special square format we started this magazine with. To show potential advertising customers around the world that we were not joking, we produced a dummy issue, the so-called zero issue. This was a twenty-page magazine, providing examples of our style and the direction we were going in. This received great feedback and it also gave us the essential support from the industry to make the magazine happen. We became the first magazine to put a huge focus on design as well as content. Each article was designed individually as a one-off, which caused a lot of debate at the time, both positive and negative. But we continued on our path and with issue 20 we made our next big step, changing the size of the magazine, which also enabled us to position ourselves better and improve visibility in newsstands. Currently we are the only rolling magazine distributed in newsstands worldwide. Over the course of years with Be-Mag, we have seen a lot of magazines come and go, and now none of the mags that were around when we started still exist. This just shows how steep the road was we chose. Believe me, if you want to make tons of money then making a print magazine is not the best of choices. Over the years we’ve not only received great feedback from the rolling community itself, but also from other industries. Be-Mag has been featured in design bookshops as far as , has been put on the list of the 100 most influential youth style magazines by Adidas and has received praise from magazine designers from big publishing companies. This just shows that this product can stand up for rollerblading outside of the hub of rolling. Our goal is not to make the best rolling magazine, but the best overall magazine as compared with other huge magazines and other extreme sports. If someone sees us along with other mags on the shelves, we aim for them to want to choose us and see just how truly amazing rolling is. This is what we are fighting for from issue to issue.

Here and now
We’ve now got to the point where we’ve survived and got over all the problems that young magazines experience, and we’re becoming stronger and stronger as our roots spread deeper. This year we’re planning to release six issues, this being the first. We’ve also released two Be-Mag clothing lines already (should be three by the time you read this, fingers crossed), our third DVD is out soon (which puts us at three DVDs and one VHS), we’ve organized a multitude of skate tours (last year we toured Australia, Japan, the USA, and all of Europe) and helped organize demos at a huge music festival in Denmark. On a business side we support rollerblading companies with our contacts throughout the world and have helped companies with distribution deals, production deals and marketing. We are pushing rolling wherever and however we can. We are living for rolling and we are giving rolling and the community the tools to communicate and broaden our sport. In times of declining TV usage you need to be present on all the new fronts of modern day life and we are right there for rolling, pushing rolling into the new years to be ahead. We see our mission on a broader level, not only being more and more successful with our product, Be-Mag, but actually also helping rollerblading, helping other companies and the whole to grow, because this is what it comes down to. If the industry is strong and skaters are connected, we have done a good job. If Be-Mag is a great magazine, but we don't care about anyone, we would not be a good magazine. Be-Mag has grown from an email newsletter to becoming the hub for rolling information and a connection point for rollers worldwide.

-Jeph Howard I-view Issue 13 / Shot and filmed on the Poor Tour / Print and Video Profile for Be-mag

The Future

We will continue to strive to give you the best possible product and to push rollerblading. We have a lot of projects coming up, as well as a re-launch of the website. Over the last year we have added a multitude of new features to the website which I’m sure you have noticed. We’ve grown every single year and 2007 won’t be any different, so watch out for Be-Mag in 2007, no matter where you are in the world!

Be-people
So who are the staff members behind Be-mag? The project is a collaborative work between photographers, editors, filmers and people interested in rolling all over the world. The mission was always not to produce something that works top-down, but something from the community for the community. We aren’t here to preach a couple of people’s views, this being why we’ve always been very open to contributions, and why we are constantly evolving the design. We work with many talented people who have also excelled in their ‘regular job’. If you feel that you want to give back to rolling and are interested in working with us just drop us a line or send us an e-mail.

-Michael Bayr

-Poor Tour Article in Issue 12 / one of the best tours in Be-mag History

Tags: 10-year-anniversary be-mag be-mag issue 12 be-mag issue 13 be-mag issue 23 be-mag print be-mag print issue 23 billy oneil jeph howard poor tour soulstealing