Crain Communications licenses Autoweek’s Digital assets to Hearst media, kills print magazine.

After 61 years publishing a print edition of Autoweek bi-weekly in recent times, Crain Communications called it quits for the paper future of AutoWeek. According to Media Post, Hearst Magazines and Crain Communications struck up a deal where Hearst gets a licensing deal to continue “to operate the digital and experiential businesses of Autoweek.”

“Crain will cease publishing the print product, which was produced twice a month. “

This does not mean AutoWeek is gone completely because, as mentioned, assets like online articles, e-mail newsletters and podcasts will still continue.

The website, with 10M monthly page views, will be the bulk of AutoWeek’s profitability.

Hearst have kept all of AutoWeek’s editorial staff.

Losing another car magazine in print is however noteworthy. Car magazines are a staple of print since cars became a part of people’s everyday lives. With most auto enthusiasts and consumers switching to a digital platform, print magazines became redundant, often reprinting stories that are published digitally within a matter of days.

That doesn’t mean Autoweek’s reach in a paper medium doesn’t have any current reach as it’s ranked in the Top 10 of Car Magazines.

According to Cision, AutoWeek ranked #6 in a Top 10 listing of the largest Car Magazines by monthly circulation reaching about 290,000 monthly subscribers.

Hearst owned Car and Driver and Road and Track ranked #1 and #3 while Motor Trend Group owned Motor Trend and Hot Road Magazine ranked #2 and #4.

Perhaps the story of why Hearst probably won’t bring on a third car magazine is in Autoweek’s readership. According to Autoweek’s latest media packet, 73 percent of their print subscribers have been a subscriber for over 10 years.

The average age of their print readership is 50 years old, Gen-X’ers and Boomers holding up the bulk of anything print. Hearst Magazines saw the writing on the wall; there’s no future for Autoweek’s print editions.

It’s been an illustrious run for the car magazine that started as a bi-weekly newsletter. Back in 1958 when Autoweek was called “Competition Press” subscribers could expect two newsletters a month on the first and third Thursday. Yearly subscriptions where just $4 (or $8.88 today.)

You can read an online version of their very first issue linked here.

In 1964, distribution matched its name and subscribers got 52 issues a year.

In 2009, they halved 52 to 26 and Autoweek became a bi-monthly publication until its end.

Crain Communications still owns, prints, and distributes Automotive News, an, ironically, weekly trade newsletter, to a much smaller distribution.

Thinner, without fluff, and focused, AutoWeek will always be that car magazine you read more timely news pieces covering wide swatches of the automotive landscape those other larger magazines just didn’t have the print space for.

In recent times, the editorial team transformed the print editions as arguable print works of car art as far as the covers went.

To me AutoWeek was the magazine I read in between the monthly publications, providing me with a print source of car news more often, and for that I loved it.

No word on what the official last print edition of AutoWeek will be but I’m sure it’ll be a bittersweet one.

Do you have a favorite memory about AutoWeek? Let me know in the comments below.

34 COMMENTS

  1. I go all the way back to CP in 1960. One of my dad’s engineers (Bob Taylor) was a stringer reporting Tompson Safeway results and stories. I’m also a current subscriber (75 and over 10 years)!! I will miss the print version.

  2. So…. Why did I not receive any notice of this??? (no email, nothing) Are we going to receive refunds for the issues we will not get? Or is Hurst going to keep my money?
    VERY upset.
    Subscriber since 1982.

  3. The sudden death of AutoWeek sure is a sad day for me. I have been a subscriber for over 45 years. And I’m sure there are tons of others like me who live in remote areas where internet access is dirt slow and nearly useless for anything but email, with no way to even think of trying to download on-line stuff or whatever the remaining AutoWeek employees attempt to do. Guess all I can do is find another print magazine to subscribe to. I’m sure glad none of the other good auto magazines have given up.

  4. Sad day – this must mean I’ve reached old age
    I’ve been a subscriber for over 50 years (now 69 yrs old). How many other print magazines have 73% subscribers for 10 + years ? Average age of subscribers 50 yrs old. My subscription doesnt expire until April 2022 – hope it rolls over to extend my subscription to Car & Driver
    Thanks for the memories !!!

    • I canceled my subscription through Amazon, got a 10$ refund. I live in a remote area too and like everything else “made in Detroit” Autoweek turned to s***! Just my opinion!

  5. I agree with those who wondered what will happen to their subscriptions! Ours expires in May of 2021. They might have considered this before just stopping the magazine with no warning. Sounds like a class action suit.

    • End of Autoweek is disturbing–subscriber for over 30 years. It was bad enough when they went from weekly to bi-weekly (and got sued for screwing subscribers). But now they decide to screw the subscribers one last time and just end it all? While I admit the quality has gone downhill over the years, it has always been my go to for racing news (IMSA, F1, Cart, etc.). I am assuming there are rebate checks in the mail to those of us with time left on subscriptions?

  6. My husband Roger remembers the newsprint on his fingers from days gone by. We don’t do any of the social media but I personally wanted you to know how much Roger will miss the feeling of a print copy in his 73 year old fingers… Our sons Mark Donohue Williams and Paul Newman Williams have enjoyed your publication as well…

    • I tried calling Hearst, who was supposed to have taken over after Autoweek quit publishing, but they know nothing about it! This whole thing is really shabby treatment for all of us who have lost out on subscriptions we had paid for. I’ve subscribed for over 45 years and sure never expected to be treated like this. If anyone ever finds a place to obtain refunds, please post it for all of us.

    • Very sad day for motorsports, the tragic end to a great magazine.

      I would have thought it would be done with more respect for your fan base.
      HOW DO I GET A REFUND FOR MY SUBSCRIPTION?

  7. The next-to-last quality publication to go was Automobile under David E. Davis (I understand, in that case, it had to happen). Now, Autoweek, hard copy, is gone. I gave up on Car and Driver, Rodent Track (pun intended) and Automobile: Inconsistent publications, full of ED ads, designed for Grocery store checkout lines… Yes, I have myarid electronic devices, but it’s not the same. There’s something about a hardcopy publication accompanied by a Scotch or Bourbon on the rocks in my leather recliner that electronic media will never replace… Something like losing my “real” Porsche to an enclosed golf cart with a Porsche crest on front… Hedge funds and tree huggers will kill us all.

  8. Apparently we are supposed to receive a copy of (digital) Car and Driver for every issue of Autoweek left over. Ya, why would i want a digital copy when I paid for print? The best part is that our first (digital) issue is the December issue, which will be e-mailed to us in a few week. I said, December; as in the issue that is currently for sale in the super market for the last 2-weeks? LOL, ya F-that! So, they changed my subscription to Car & Driver Print. The main problem I have with Car & Driver and Road and Track is that the issues you receive in the mail are not of the same quality of the ones you could buy in the stores. No glossy cover and lower quality paper. I guess That’s what you get for $7 for 12 issues…. Balls, I rather get Autoweek 52 times a year for $25 like in the old days…. and buy the odd issue of Road and Track, Car and Driver or Automobile at the market. Road and Track is much better btw, and I already subscribe to it. British Autocar is the closest to old school Autoweek I found.

  9. Was with them since the “newspaper” edition in the early years, I understand business, but this one sucks for sure. Thanks for all the good years guys, you are GREAT

  10. You didn’t know this information when I renewed my subscription in September? Where’s my refund.
    They said they would be contacting people about the refunds but I have not heard anything. Thought you were better than that. I don’t care how long you’ve had your subscription out there. Don’t bother sending another magazine we don’t want to replace this one just so you can keep the money.
    REFUND REFUND REFUND!

  11. You didn’t know this information when I renewed my subscription in September? Where’s my refund.
    They said they would be contacting people about the refunds but I have not heard anything. Thought you were better than that. I don’t care how long you’ve had your subscription out there. Don’t bother sending another magazine we don’t want to replace this one just so you can keep the money.
    I WANT MY REFUND

  12. Got my replacement Dec. copy of C&D with a cover letter about the “replacements”. Can’t comment on the quality of C&D. I only glance at it when waiting for my dentist appt. Autoweek was awesome! Hoping we will still get to see some editorials by Nat Neff in our future. Who else could write about her Ford Fairwhatever and make it interesting.
    Of course Hearst doesn’t want to have to hand out refunds so they make you write in to request it. Who writes letters anymore??? Going to make myself do it just to make a point.
    Request refunds @ Car and Driver Subscription Services, Attn: Rick Day, PO box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593-1500

  13. Denise McCluggage was a big part of Autoweek. She was an owner of Competition Press at one time and long time contributor to AW. Miss her work, miss AW.

  14. I started reading Aotoweek back in 1984 when it was still news print. During the late 80s to early 1990s, I was in the military and stationed in Warren MI. It was interesting to talk to guys working in the big three and ask them questions about new developments you had read in Autoweek and they seemed surprised thinking that information was close hold. Since I worked near GM tech center, I would see future models being test drive by staff. Fun to see the Corvette “King of the Hill” (Cosworth V8) pull up by you at a stop light as you drove to work and you recognize it since you read about it a few weeks earlier in Autoweek. I will miss the print edition, but the on line version is going on me.

  15. I don’t know when the last issue went out. I was paid up until 11/2021.
    I miss the mag and don’t even know if I missed any issues since I relocated due to the virus.

  16. I have bee a subscriber since 1965!! Even when I was in Vietnam they were still delivered to my parents home! I always read every issue ! I guess I realized the inevitable that it would one day cease publication
    and I had a eerie feeling when I received the last issue with Jean Behra on it thinking what is he doing on the cover !!! Then I saw the GOODBYE and realized that was the last print issue! I felt bad but life goes on and the issues on the internet are good so not all is lost ! Thanks for the good issues thru the years !!!!!!GOOD HEALTH!!!!!!!

  17. A framed copy of your last issue magazine hangs on the wall over my desk,….along with an AutoWeek weatherproof credential holder which was pinned to my driving suit. An AutoWeek patch was removed from my old foul weatherm jacket and sewn onto a new jacket last fall. I wish I had a copy of the first newspaper to frame and hang. I was sorry to see the newspaper version go,…..but now the magazine is as well. So are the days of looking forward to communications with Leon and Denise via snail mail. Is Satch still around?

    • Hi Carroll, my name is Anthony, I’m also a paid subscriber for multiple years with autoweek. I’m wondering if you were able to get a refund and if so, may I ask who you contacted? Thx.

  18. I’ve been an Autoweek subscriber for nearly 20 years and enjoy the magazine from cover to cover. The magazine is deeply missed at my home and I’m very disappointed that I did not receive the last print issue. My subscription is paid until 2022. If anyone at autoweek can help with the final print edition, I have a spot in my office where I would proudly frame and display it! Thanks for the years of dedication and great issues.

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