15 Angus Journal

In the 1970s I was the Agricultural Economics Bibliographer in the Agriculture Library, The Ohio State University. In those days things were so simple, I’m not sure we were required to use “The” before pronouncing Ohio! The library has a long name now I can’t even remember. One of the genres of agriculture literature that library didn’t include in its collection policy then was “breed journals” and “herd books.” The library would need to be double the size.

At some point, the volume 1, number 1 of Angus Journal, July 1979, came into my hands. Why an Angus Journal? From a speech given by Mike Sweet to the Board of Directors and staff of the American Angus Association in March 1979 we learn the reason goes back to the very first magazine published in this country, American Magazine, A Monthly Review of the Political State of the British Colonies, February 13, 1741. Mr. Sweet also referred to the Continental Congress, where instead of flipping a coin to see who would tell King George what they had in mind, the founders wrote it down, “the best editorial I have ever read.“ .

“. . .they had to write it down on paper and sign it. They had to communicate via the written word. There was no misunderstanding their intent, reasons, purpose or goals. . . Gentlemen, a few short weeks ago we weren’t magazine publishers and now we is. And we have an awesome responsibility. What are we going to do with the Journal?. . . It is an entirely revolutionary idea in the livestock industry for a magazine to give the reader and the advertiser his money’s worth. . . the first issue of the association-owned Angus Journal [will have to be] a Cadillac publication. . .our own self-portrait, in living color.

Frank C. Murphy seems to be the premier illustrator of Angus cattle, and one of his bulls appears on the cover. You can download his art of Angus cattle and calves as clip art at a special web site which includes a screen saver. The first, bull with head turned to the right, is a black and white of this issue's cover.

This is not a true first issue, the association had purchased the superseded (as of vol. 60, 1979) Aberdeen-Angus Journal (0001-3161) from the publisher. The web site says

The Angus Journal is our flagship publication. Started in 1919, it was purchased in July 1979 by the Association. With a mailed circulation of more than 16,000, the award-winning monthly magazine serves as the breed's official publication and the voice of the Angus industry. Through the Angus Journal, we strive to serve all members of the Association -- be they breed founders or new members, owners of two-cow herds or owners of 2,000.

Angus Journal
July 1979, Vol.1,No.1, Charter issue
ISSN: 0194-9543 (supplied)
Subject: Agriculture--Livestock
Publication schedule, monthly
Angus Productions, Inc.
Frederick & Brookside
St. Joseph, MO 64501
$1.50; $7.50/year
http://www.angusjournal.com/
General Manager/Editor: Mike Sweet
Associate editors: Linda Wells, Ann Gooding

14 Discover Horses

So I take a chance here and declare Discover Horses a first issue magazine, published by American Horse Shows Association and Fleet Street Publishing Corporation. The President of the association, Jane F. Clark writes

“this special guide features the writing, photographs, illustrations and expertise of a host of to-notch equestrian publications, organizations and individuals committed to horses. They enthusiastically answered our call for material that would serve as a warm introduction to the world of horses.”

There is a special relationship between women/girls and horses. (I know about this from personal experience--I wanted a horse all my life--13 years--until I actually owned one and had to pay for its upkeep.) This is one of the few magazines I’ve seen where the president, executive director, executive editor, editor, the publisher president, executive vice president, editorial director and almost all the staff and writers are women. Of the twenty contributers--writers and photographers--five are men. Wendy Carlson contributed an “Adventures in the Saddle” article with her own photography--and most of her subjects are women. Equine artist Victoria Von Kap-Herr has a clever article on outfitting the horse and rider, all with paper doll illustrations.

Discover Horses
1995, Volume 1
ISSN (na)
Subject: Horses
Publication schedule not announced
American Horse Shows Association
220 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
Fleet Street Publishing Corporation
656 Quince Orchard Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
$3.95
President (AHSA): Jane Forbes Clark
Executive Editor: Mary Kay Kinnish
Publisher president: Ami Shinitzky

13 Who Owns What

I have in my hand a journal for children about horses, Discover Horses, Volume 1, 1995. The problem is, I can’t be sure it is a first issue of an on going magazine, or just a guide or a special issue. The colophon says Fleet Street Publishing Corporation, publisher of Equus and Dressage Today, both known to me from my days as a librarian in veterinary medicine. So I google. Primedia comes up with a equine series by that name.

Does Primedia own everything, I wonder? Not exactly, but a lot. Check out Who Owns What at the Columbia Journalism Review. Type Equus or Dressage Today in the search window and up comes Primedia. Or on the main page, click on Primedia for a huge list of special interest magazines, automotive, sports, crafts, outdoors, equine, history, and even about.com. Primedia also owns Folio, the magazine about magazines.

7 Animals Agenda

I'm not sure what caused the demise of Animals Agenda in 2002, but its last cover superimposed a photo of a "final solution" concentration camp with a chicken farm. Probably the not so subtle anti-semitism of it sent them to the chopping block, if they weren't already floundering.

I have the Volume 1, Number 1, Winter 1979/80 of Agenda, its original title. It is a typewritten, duplicated 16 page little thing that begins

We are trying to start a publication that will serve as a forum for discussion of problems and issues facing the animal liberation movement. [inserts some history of the movement] Meanwhile, our movement is still in disarray. We should be doing much more to pull together toward formation of a cohesive, international political force. . . Every movement worth its salt has had at least one theoretical journal for the exchange of ideas among its advocates.

Jim Mason is the name behind the publication and he says 4 friends are helping him as an editorial board. Together they came up with the $65 to write, print and mail this first issue. It was mailed from Westport, CT.

Ulrich's International classifies this as "Animal Welfare," which is a big no-no in the biz. In fact, the first article in the first issue written by Mason is about what is wrong with the animal welfare organizations (AWO), which militant animal rights organizations believe exploit animals.

But Mason's dream of a quality journal was fulfilled and it ended a 22 years run as a refereed, indexed, academic journal with a respectable circulation of 30,000. Not bad considering its typewritten first issue.

Agenda [became Animals Agenda]
Winter 1979/80, Volume 1, Number 1
Status: Ceased March/April 2002
ISSN: (na)
Animals Agenda ISSN: 0892-8819
Subject: Animal rights, Animal welfare
Publication schedule (na)
James Mason
P.O. Box 5224
Westport, CT 06880
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
free to mailing list; subscription plans in the future
Publisher and editor: James Mason