Anaheim Magazine splits in two

"Anaheim Magazine" has a sleek, new look. The Winter 2004 edition features a glossy, four-color format and four of the city's top chefs on the cover. The magazine no longer contains the city's recreation schedules, however. They are now part of a separate publication called the "Anaheim Community Services Guide to Activities and Programs." It has a photo of a woman doing yoga on the cover. The redesigned, quarterly magazines were mailed in November. "Both publications are mailed to all of the residents of Anaheim," City spokesman John Nicoletti said. "Anaheim Magazine is also mailed to all of the city's businesses. Copies are also available at city facilities such as the libraries and community centers." Inside the revamped Anaheim Magazine you'll find features and photos on everything from the police department and the Angels to local restaurants and public utilities. "One of the reasons we have separated the publications is to begin accepting advertising in Anaheim Magazine," Nicoletti said. "It is a new opportunity for us." The current issue features a profile on the city's new planning director Sheri Vander Dussen and a comprehensive (if slightly out of date) listing of the city's commissions and commissioners. For example, Terrina Picarello, Anaheim Hills' "Citizen of the Year" is listed as a current member of the park and recreation commission, even though she relocated to the East Coast months ago. There are also sports stories, Mighty Ducks schedules and a calendar of upcoming events at the Arrowhead Pond, the Anaheim Convention Center, The Grove of Anaheim and the House of Blues. There's only one thing missing. Anaheim Hills is scarcely mentioned. There is a brief on the date for opening ceremonies at the Anaheim Hills Golf Course Clubhouse. But Acting Community Services Director Jack Kudron says that the date listed is questionable. "There are some things on back-order and we may not be able to hold the opening until February," he said. You can also find a couple of Anaheim Hills restaurants mentioned but that's about it. All four chefs featured on the cover and in the center spread are from West Side restaurants - The Anaheim White House, Mr. Stox, Napa Rose and The Catch. "I think they need to pay a little closer attention to the East End of town," Realtor Karyn Schonherz said. "We have featured Anaheim Hills businesses in the past," Nicoletti who is also the magazine's managing editor said. "We had the president of Boeing on the cover when we did a story on Boeing last year." "For me, it's harder to keep track of two magazines people are going to togs it (Anaheim Magazine). When it had the recreation schedule inside we had a reason to hang onto it." "I do think it is really lovely. I just don't know what they plan to do with it," she added. Hills resident Pam Fraser wondered about the Community Services Guide. "Why are we advertising yoga classes in Fullerton?" Fraser asked. "We have two (yoga) studios right here in Anaheim Hills." The 2003-04 City budget shows the average cost of Anaheim Magazine to be 32 cents each the same cost as last year when there was just one publication. It does not show the cost of preparing two separate publications each requiring separate bindery, and mai"Because we began this new format in the middle of our budget year," Nicoletti said, Community services pays for a portion of the publication and the public information office pays for a portion." He added that that would change next year. The City budget shows a circulation for Anaheim Magazine of 122,000. At 32 cents each that amounts to $39,040 for one 56-page magazine. That is the same cost as the previous year. No mention is made of the additional cost to circulate two separate publications of 24 and 40 pages each. The City budget does not specify if postage is included in the unit price. The U.S. Postal Service confirmed, however, that the city mailed two publications in November, each of them to 100,000 people. Anaheim Magazine was sent at the rate of 13.4 cents each, according to the USPS spokesman. That is $13,400 per 100,000 edition. With four editions a year, that is $53,600 annually. The Community Services guide was mailed at the slightly lower rate of 12.8 cents - $12,800 per 100,000 or $51,200 per year. That is a total of $104,800 for postage annually. "Both publications are done with the assistance of outside consultants," Nicoletti said. "But city departments oversee the editorial control and design." Bret Colson and Associates and John Price Design are responsible for Anaheim Magazine and the recreation guide is produced with the help of Anaheim Community Publishing. According to Nicoletti the force behind splitting Anaheim Magazine in two was the broad range of the information it previously contained. "The information contained in the recreation guide and the magazine has become increasingly diverse," he said. "The feeling was that the public was not getting the benefit of the stories and the recreation guide when it was combined." "We will continue to focus on citywide issues and look to represent all areas of the city," he said.