The Atlantic is Expanding Its Print Magazine As It Surpasses 1 Million Subscribers

The Atlantic is doing something rare for a magazine in 2024: increasing the number of issues it prints, Brian Stelter reported for CNN.

The Atlantic returned to profitability earlier this year and has surpassed one million subscriptions. I Photo: Sage Rare & Collectible Books

The 167-year-old magazine, once known as The Atlantic Monthly, is increasing its publication frequency from 10 issues to 12, returning to a monthly format for the first time since 2002.

The expansion, which might seem counterintuitive in the digital age when other magazines and newspapers are reducing print editions or closing entirely, reflects the “excellent journalism our team creates and the enduring power of a beautifully designed, well-produced magazine,” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg said in an interview with CNN.

The Atlantic, majority-owned by billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, returned to profitability earlier this year and has surpassed one million subscriptions.

Nearly half of these subscribers receive both the print and digital editions, prompting Goldberg’s eagerness to expand the magazine’s print frequency.

“We want to meet our readers where they are, and our readers love the print magazine,” he said, emphasizing the timeless and unique attributes of print in a world saturated with screens.