One of America's oldest food magazines is closing.
Condé Nast Publications announced it is shutting down the highly respected culinary magazine Gourmet. The publisher is also closing Elegant Bride, Modern Bride and the parenting magazine Cookie.
Gourmet, which debuted in 1941, has been hammered by the US media industry's advertising slump. According to the Publishers Information Bureau, Gourmet's ad pages were down 50% in the second quarter this year compared to 2008.
Jay Rayner, the Observer's restaurant critic and a former Gourmet writer, said working at the magazine "was like flying the Atlantic first class. It ruined you for other food magazines".
In a memo to employees today Condé Nast said the magazine closings were needed "to navigate the company through the economic downturn and to position us to take advantage of coming opportunities".
The closings come after the publisher shut down the business magazine Portfolio and Domino, a lifestyle publication for women, earlier in the year.
Condé Nast said Gourmet's sister publication Bon Appétit will remain open and the publisher's other bridal magazine, Brides, will print monthly instead of every two months.
Despite the closing, Gourmet's brand will live in on books and television, Condé Nast said. Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth, a programme featuring editor Ruth Reichl, will debut on 17 October on US public television.
