Indiana Business magazine ceases operations

By Anthony Schoettle, The IBJ

aschoettle@ibj.com

Indiana Business magazine, one of the nation's oldest statewide business magazines, has ceased operations after 52 years. February marked its last monthly edition.

Publisher Eric Servaas notified advertisers and other supporters in a letter dated March 9 that the magazine has folded. Servaas did not return phone calls.

"On the day that Warren Buffett said the economy has 'fallen off the cliff,' we realize that our small journal, dependent upon advertising, is no longer economically viable," Servaas wrote.

In 2007, the Indiana Historical Society paid tribute to the magazine for its 50th anniversary.

Indiana Business magazine is published by Indianapolis-based Curtis Publishing Inc., which continues to produce the Saturday Evening Post. Curtis also published various state business guides, directories and community-profile magazines.

In marketing materials, Indiana Business claimed it distributed more than 30,000 magazines monthly, with a readership nearing 100,000.

Erik Hromadka, who served as editor of the magazine, told IBJ this morning that it might not be entirely dead.

"There are some ongoing discussions among staff members about continuing some aspects of the operation, including Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly, a publication that focuses on regional business in that part of the state," Hromadka said.

Servaas said in his letter that Indiana Business had planned to write about the state's potential for green technology in its April edition, and also "hoped to cover Indiana's recovery and new prosperity," as it emerged from the economic slump.