Johnson Publishing Company has started a new chapter for its 63-year-old JET brand, which rolled out its final print issue on June 23. In July, JET introduced its new magazine app that will serve as its primary content product from here on. Johnson is embarking on a digital-only strategy for JET going forward—radically updating it. 

Time To Decide

The JET app is available for all tablet and mobile platforms, and print subscribers will be given a free month to decide if they want to continue accessing the content through a digital platform.

While in print, JET held a rate base of 700,000, however the magazine’s frequency continued to drop over the past few years. The digest-sized title was once a weekly staple on newsstands, but that was slashed to bi-weekly and then most recently to about every three weeks.

Now in digital, JET will return to its roots as a weekly magazine, with an expected $19.99 price point. The app will continue to provide content that its readers have become accustom to, but it will also offer enhanced dynamic experiences like 360-degree interactive galleries, video and contests. The brand is also planning to launch an online store in partnership with Ebony.

Still, Kyra Kyles, editorial director, implies that a new platform and set of features shouldn’t signal a totally new direction. “I am confident that we can keep the legacy of the magazine for generations,” she says in a release.