Sactown Mag comes out punchin’

So Sactown magazine, the new lifestyle magazine, hits newsstands this week. Based on Sam McManis’ review in today’s Bee, I can’t wait to see it. (RonTopofIt says he got a free copy in the mail, lucky!)

“Opening Shots,” an eight-page spread of dazzling photos. Magazines from Newsweek to Sports Illustrated do this, and it’s nice to see a local publication make a commitment to photojournalism, not just product shots.

Sounds great. I can’t tell whether or not I agree with McManis that the cover is too busy; that might just be too nitpicky for my taste. Seems about average for a glossy magazine like that. McManis also takes a jab at Sactown for using “premier” as in “premier issue” on the cover. That’s where this gets a little funny.

Sactown argues (correctly, I would like to adjudicate) that it used premier correctly or at least not incorrectly. (Maybe grammar nerds could get their own planet where they can discuss this stuff.) From there Sactown’s unnamed blogger goes point for point with McManis (wonder if/hope they’ll keep that blog going once they’re in print?) challenging several other of McManis’s qualms. McManis comments on the mag’s Q&A with C-Webb, and Sactown digs up the numbers on the Bee’s coverage of C-Webb, for example.

Like Sactown’s writer, I’m a big fan of McManis and his coverage of local media (I’m not just saying that because I have a hunch that he’s a fan). Sactown, though, probably could have done without this public rebuttal. They say they think this city needs more opinion makers, but can’t resist this sometimes unfunny rebuttal when the opinions are about their thing. (Believe me, though, I know well the temptation to refute every stupid thing any idiot says about you on their dumb stupid blog.)

But in the end, you gotta love Sactown’s attitude: “we hope everyone will give us a chance. We’re a small crew, doing our best because we’re in love with this city.” Damn straight.

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Author: CoolDMZ

"X-ray vision to see in between / Where's my kimono and my time machine?"

6 thoughts on “Sactown Mag comes out punchin’”

  1. Isn’t that last season’s “Top Model” contestant Sara on the cover of the new “sactown” (note the small “s” in the title)?

    There’s room enough for everyone..sacrag, sactown, and the whole 21Q crew (McManis, Heyamoto, Leibrock, Grogan, and Crowder — plus let’s throw in Kushman too since his column is equally as enjoyable.)

    ForkIt, we hardly knew ye.

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  2. It’s a fun magazine for the short-attention span set. Still, it’s a damn sight better than Sacramento Magazine, and several of the articles were interesting. The gift guide blew, though.

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  3. Yes, RG, that’s Sara. She got a modeling contract, I believe. They sort of had an “IT” list and she was the best local top model or something. AJ from this year’s “cycle” of the show was second.

    It’s a decent read. Not sure I’d subscribe to it though. Much better than Sacramento Magazine. Although they did do a little bit of that local photography at events that always bugs me as I keep thinking I’ll recognize someone and it just ends up being a bunch of random folks from around town in fancy clothing. That could also be because I am not as connected to this town as I think I am. Or I’m just a doofus. Anyone’s call, really.

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