Arkansas Life, a quarterly lifestyle and culture magazine published by WEHCO Media, owner of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, has halted publication, citing financial fallout from the pandemic.
The publication, established in 2008, began as a free high-society magazine for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette subscribers. It evolved over the years and underwent a full redesign in 2017, focusing more on news features and pieces that highlighted the best of what the state had to offer.
"Today, our hearts are breaking. Because today marks the last day of Arkansas Life,” staff members said in a social media post on Monday. The decision to shutter was a “financial necessity resulting from the current economic climate.”
As advertising revenue plummeted for newspapers and magazines, Arkansas Life struggled to be profitable for years and almost folded in January 2019. After challenging readers to buy a $20 subscription, the monthly magazine secured enough subscribers and money to carry on as a quarterly.
"This year’s virus-related problems proved too much to overcome,” Lynn Hamilton, president and general manager of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, said Tuesday. “The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is making a lot of hard decisions these days in order to ensure the survival of our newspaper. The termination of Arkansas Life is one of them.”
