Modern Maturity
601 E Street NW
Washington DC 20049
Phone: 202/434-6950
Fax: 202/434-6881
Generic press releases won't go past the fax machine at the American Association of Retired Persons' magazine, Modern Maturity. Acting Editor Elliot Carlson says press releases are not "a high priority" and prefers "a customized pitch letter." With the majority of stories written by Modern Maturity staffers, the bimonthly magazine rarely takes ideas from PR practitioners. Editors want two things: customized pitches and exclusives.
"When I get a press release over the fax or on email, I know everyone else is seeing it," Carlson says. A new technology feature, which will debut with the January/February issue, is a good spot for technology product pitches. The magazine is attempting to "unveil the relationship between older Americans and computers."
The Lifeline section will cover issues ranging from arthritis to cancer and is very service oriented. Recent stories include "What Computers Can Do for You" in the technology section and "Eight Great Medical Web Sites" in the health section. Direct all tech pitches to Senior Editor Ken Wibecan, who looks for consumer stories. For health stories, Senior Editor Ken Budd is your contact, and for the Good Looks section (beauty), Senior Editor Al Cole takes ideas. (Circulation, 20 million; median HHI, $47,000; male, 44%, 57% are retired)
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